- New Policy and Its Implications
- Community Reaction
- Comparison with Other Messengers
Telegram has announced an update to its privacy policy, sparking concerns among its users. The messenger app will now provide user data to authorities in response to legal requests.
New Policy and Its Implications
Telegram will start sharing IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate the app's rules. This was announced by Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on September 23. The policy update raises concerns about privacy-preserving technologies as it contradicts Telegram's foundational principles.
Community Reaction
Blockchain expert Anndy Lian noted that this highlights ongoing tension between regulatory compliance and user data protection. Lian stated: 'The concern is that such compliance could set a precedent, encouraging other privacy-focused services to follow suit, thereby eroding the privacy standards that users have come to expect.'
Comparison with Other Messengers
While Telegram's policy shift may be surprising, it is not unique among the largest online messengers. WhatsApp, the largest messaging app by users, also shares user data with law enforcement. Meta Messenger's policy also complies with requests from authorities. Since July 2013, Meta has complied with over 301,000 requests from authorities, providing user data for over 77% of the total requests.
Telegram's updated policy on providing user data to authorities is sparking significant debate among users and experts. The question of balancing regulatory compliance with data privacy protection remains unresolved.
