Telegram founder Pavel Durov has clarified the platform’s privacy policy, emphasizing that no significant adjustments have been made to how Telegram handles user data. He revealed that since 2018, Telegram has been disclosing IP addresses and phone numbers of criminals when required by law. Durov stressed that this is a long-standing policy that ensures compliance without compromising the platform’s commitment to freedom and privacy.
Pavel Durov Clarifies Telegram's Privacy Policy
Telegram founder Pavel Durov clarified on his Telegram channel that no major changes have been made to how the platform handles user data, despite recent comments. Durov emphasized:
As per our privacy policy in most countries, since 2018 Telegram has been able to disclose the IP address/phone number of criminals to the authorities.
He stressed that this policy has been in place for years to comply with legal frameworks. Durov further explained the process Telegram follows when dealing with law enforcement requests. “Whenever we receive a properly formed legal request through the relevant communication lines, we verify and disclose the IP addresses/phone numbers of dangerous criminals. This process has been in place since long before last week,” he explained.
Durov noted that the company uses a transparency bot to publicly display the number of requests it has processed. For example, in 2024, Telegram responded to 75 legal requests in Brazil in Q1 and more than 2,000 requests in India, the company’s largest market, each quarter. In Europe, the number of valid requests increased after authorities began using the correct channels required by the EU Digital Services Act, he said.
In August, French authorities arrested Durov on multiple charges, including alleged illegal activities related to the Telegram platform. He was released on bail of €5 million but remains under judicial supervision, preventing him from leaving the country.
Durov notes:
To reduce confusion, last week we streamlined and unified our privacy policies across different countries. But our core principles remain the same. We always strive to comply with relevant local laws — as long as they don’t conflict with our values of freedom and privacy.
He also reaffirmed the platform's mission, stating: “Telegram was built to protect activists and ordinary people from corrupt governments and corporations — we don't allow criminals to exploit our platform or escape justice.”
What do you think about Telegram’s approach to user data privacy while still complying with legal requirements? Let us know in the comments below.
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