Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announces app will provide user data to authorities if requested

Governments around the world have accused Telegram of being a hotbed of criminal activity, with accusations of quietly facilitating drug and human trafficking and exploiting child sexual content. The app has become notorious for failing to respond to official requests to remove content or provide user data for law enforcement purposes.

Notably, after Russian-born Durov was arrested in France in August, many cybercriminals began ditching the app in the expectation that it would change its content moderation policies, 404 Media reported.