Is Telegram going to start sharing phone numbers and IP addresses with authorities?

By September 26, 2024 Technology

According to several social media posts which have garnered millions of views, the popular messaging app Telegram is now sharing user data such as IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities on request.These posts have prompted numerous reactions and responses – with some declaring their intention to leave the platform altogether, and others claiming that this new move violates their privacy rights as users. Some have opined that this is part of a larger conspiracy targeting and censoring individuals who speak out against governments or powerful figures.

Based on our research, this claim was prompted by a message posted by Telegram CEO, Pavel Durov, on his channel on 23rd September. In his message, Durov announced that Telegram’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy was updated worldwide for consistency to make it “clear that the IP address and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.”

While some of the online claims seem to suggest (through omission of context or misleading headlines) that any user’s data can or will be actively shared with governments, a closer look at the available information suggests otherwise.

Based on the current Privacy Policy available on Telegram’s website, rather than the platform immediately handing over of user information upon request, only users who are suspects in “criminal activities that violate terms of services” might be subject to IP addresses or phone numbers disclosure after receiving “valid order” requests “relevant judicial authorities.”

And, while some of the recent claims on social media suggest that Telegram sharing information with law enforcement authorities is a brand new development, looking up the previous Privacy Policy using the Wayback Machine shows that it is not entirely true.

According to older versions of the policy dating back as far as 2018, “terror suspects” could have their IP and phone information disclosed (subject to a court order). It appears that the recent changes have instead expanded this to include more general criminal activities rather than just “terror.”

Therefore, it is true that Telegram has updated its policy to encompass a broader range of criminal behaviours which will potentially result in data-sharing with law enforcement. However, the way in which this update has been shared and framed on viral social media posts lacks context and is possibly very misleading. We thus give this claim a rating of somewhat true.

These new measures are, according to Telegram, meant to deter would-be criminals and crack down on the use of Telegram for illegal activity. The proliferation of illegal content on Telegram has long been the subject of debate. Some critics have pointed out that the platform’s apparent reluctance to disclose information after requests from authorities on several occasions enables serious criminal activities such as the circulation of child abuse images or drug trafficking. Others have also noted that Telegram channels (which can accommodate up to 200,000 members) are often used spread mis/disinformation widely with little to no regulation.

Conversely, proponents of the platform’s perceived privacy lauding it as a safe and secure way to communicate without fear of information leaks – for instance when used by political dissidents. Concerns have also been raised over potential misuse of user data by authorities given the broad definition of “suspect” in a criminal case.

Given the ubiquity of messaging apps in the daily lives of most internet users, making informed choices about the messaging platforms we use is important – based on an accurate understanding of what the platform’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy actually says.

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