Telegram, previously known for its strong privacy stance, has announced a significant policy change. The messaging platform will now disclose user IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities upon legal requests, as reported by Bloomberg News on Sept. 23. CEO Pavel Durov revealed this alteration to the platform's terms and conditions. In addition to this update, Telegram is introducing new moderation tools, such as AI and human moderators, to detect and eliminate inappropriate content. Despite these adjustments, users can still benefit from privacy features like end-to-end encryption and disappearing messages. Durov's decision comes amidst his own legal troubles following his arrest by French authorities on various criminal charges. While some speculate political motives behind the arrest, French President Emmanuel Macron has stated it is part of an ongoing judicial investigation. The impact of these changes on Telegram's popularity, especially among illicit users, remains uncertain. Read more AI-generated news on: https://app.chaingpt.org/news