Telegram's user base hit with impending policy overhaul

The Telegram messenger is quietly changing its terms of service. This is indicated by an update to the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. Apparently, Telegram will change its approach to illegal content, which is not lacking.

Telegram has grown so much that it has entered the canon of the most popular internet messengers. Although it does not enjoy as much interest in Canada as in other countries, globally, it boasts an impressive base of 950 million users.

Telegram users are certainly wondering what fate awaits the messenger. Let's recall that the creator of Telegram was detained on August 24 at Paris Le Bourget Airport. Pavel Durov is accused of a lack of cooperation with law enforcement, as Telegram has become a platform used by criminals.

The founder himself openly admits that Telegram must change. An official statement published on September 5 indicates this.

"Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform. That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. We’ve already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon," writes Pavel Durov.

The founder mentions that the process of change has begun, and apparently, the effects can already be seen. As noted by The Verge, the FAQ section on Telegram's official website (referring to the English version) has been updated. It concerns the question about illegal content and how to remove it. As of September 5, the response read: "All Telegram chats and group chats are private for their participants. We do not process any requests related to them."

It has now been removed and replaced with the information that "All Telegram apps have 'Report' buttons that allow marking illegal content for our moderators – it only takes a few taps," along with detailed instructions on how to proceed. It is possible that Telegram will change even more in the coming days or weeks.