Telegram repeatedly refuses to join child protection schemes

Telegram, a messaging application founded by Pavel Durov in 2013, has recently come under scrutiny for its refusal to participate in international initiatives aimed at combating child abuse material online. The BBC has reported that Telegram is not affiliated with either the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), both of which collaborate with numerous online platforms to identify, report, and eliminate harmful content. This situation arises as Durov, who leads the app with over 950 million registered users, is currently facing legal issues in France. He has been detained due to allegations concerning inadequate moderation on the platform, including accusations of failing to cooperate with law enforcement regarding drug trafficking, child sexual content, and fraud. Telegram has previously asserted that its moderation practices are 'within industry standards and constantly improving. ' However, unlike other social networks, it has not joined programs like NCMEC’s CyberTipline, which boasts over 1,600 registered internet companies. While U. S. -based companies are legally obligated to participate, 16% of the companies involved are not based in the U. S. Telegram, originally founded in Russia, is now headquartered in Dubai, where Durov resides. Most reports of child sexual abuse material originate from major tech companies and social networks such as Facebook, Google, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter (now X), Snapchat, and WhatsApp. The BBC has learned that NCMEC has repeatedly invited Telegram to join their efforts in addressing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), but the app has consistently ignored these requests. Furthermore, Telegram has declined to collaborate with the IWF, which serves as the UK’s counterpart to NCMEC. An IWF spokesperson stated, 'Despite attempts to proactively engage with Telegram over the last year, they are not members of the IWF and do not take any of our services to block, prevent, and disrupt the sharing of child sexual abuse imagery. ' By not actively participating in IWF or NCMEC, Telegram is unable to proactively identify, remove, or block confirmed CSAM that is categorized and compiled by these organizations. The IWF noted that while Telegram does remove CSAM once it is confirmed, their response time is slower and less efficient compared to daily requests from other platforms. The BBC has reached out to Telegram for comments regarding its refusal to join child protection schemes, but the company has not provided a response. Telegram has previously claimed that it is 'absurd to assert that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform. ' Additionally, Telegram is not involved in the TakeItDown program, which aims to eliminate revenge porn. Other platforms such as Snap, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Pornhub, and OnlyFans are members of this initiative, which utilizes a hash list to scan for harmful images and videos on their public or unencrypted platforms. Telegram, as a messaging app and social network, operates with channels, but it does not conform to the usual standards for Transparency Reporting. Most social networks publish a list of content removed due to police requests every six months. However, Telegram does not have a dedicated website for these reports and only maintains a channel on the app without a historical library of transparency reports. They describe their approach to Transparency Reports as 'semiannual. ' The Telegram Transparency channel did not respond to a request for previous reports and stated that there was 'no report available for your region. ' Telegram also has an unusual system for media inquiries, relying on an automated bot within the app, which has not yielded any responses despite months of attempts to engage. There is an unadvertised email address for press inquiries that the BBC has contacted, but no response has been received. In June, Durov informed journalist Tucker Carlson that he employs 'about 30 engineers' to manage his platform. Durov, who was born in Russia and now resides in Dubai, holds citizenship in multiple countries, including Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis. Telegram enjoys significant popularity in Russia, Ukraine, and several former Soviet states, as well as in Iran.