Telegram Expands Moderator Powers To Private Chats After Pavel Durov Arrest in France

Updated: 06 September 2024

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Telegram has expanded the powers of its moderators to include private chats, allowing them to flag illegal content for review after the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in France

The move, announced on Telegram’s FAQ page, is a major shift from its previous policy, which treated private groups as off-limits. The change come in the wake of Durov’s arrest, and accusations from the French authorities that Telegram facilitates illegal activities, including child pornography and drug trafficking.

Durov Acts On His Promise To Introduce Changes To Telegram

Durov criticized the French authorities following his release from police custody, and said the charges are without merit. He is currently required to remain in France pending trial.

I'm still trying to understand what happened in France. But we hear the concerns. I made it my personal goal to prevent abusers of Telegram's platform from interfering with the future of our 950+ million users.

My full post below. https://t.co/cDvRSodjst

— Pavel Durov (@durov) September 5, 2024

Durov acknowledged that the rapid growth of the app’s user base to over 950 million has “made it easier for criminals to abuse the platform.” He went on to promise that changes will be made to the app, a promise he seems to already be acting on.

TON Ecosystem Rebounds After Durov Reappears Online

Durov made his first public comments on the matter online on Sept. 5, criticizing France for its ”misguided approach.”

The remarks led to a rebound for the TON ecosystem. After plunging 15% in the last month, Toncoin has climbed more than 3% in the last 24 hours to trade at $4.80 as of 8:47 a.m. EST.

The market capitalization for meme coins in the TON ecosystem also pumped 4% in the past day. Leading the charge was the third largest crypto in this category, Ton Cat (TCAT), which soared 29%.