After years of ignoring pleas to sign up for child protection programs, controversial messaging app Telegram has agreed to work with a world-renowned organization to stop the spread of child abuse material (CSAM).
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is used by major Internet services to help them detect and remove CSAM, and prevent its spread.
Telegram was repetitive refused to participate with any similar program.
But, after four months Founder Pavel Durov was arrested in Paris With Telegram's alleged failure to moderate extreme content, the platform announced a U-turn.
The IWF described Telegram's decision as “a turning point” but warned that it was the first step in a “very long journey” for the app.
“By joining IWF, Telegram can start using our world-leading tools to help make sure these things can't be shared through the service,” said Derek Ray-Hill, interim CEO at IWF.
Telegram is used by around 950 million people worldwide and has previously positioned itself as an app that focuses on the privacy of its users rather than the policies put forward by other social media companies around the world.
But reporting from the BBC and other news organizations is highlighted hackers using the app drug advertising and providing cybercrime and fraud services, recently, CSAM.
It led one expert to coin the term “the dark web in your pocket.”
In August, its millionaire owner was arrested at an airport north of Paris.
Mr Durov is accused of failing to cooperate with law enforcement in connection with drug trafficking, child sex and fraud.
French judges have banned the 40-year-old from leaving France as the investigation continues.
The company maintains that his arrest is wrongand that he should not be held responsible for what users do on the platform.
However, Telegram has announced a series of changes to the way it works, including:
- Disclosure of the IP addresses and telephone numbers of those who violate its rules will be provided to the police in response to valid legal requests.
- Disabling features like “people nearby” has admitted to having problems with bots and scammers
- Publishing regular transparent reports about how much content is being downloaded – a standard industry practice that had previously refused to comply.
Mr Durov also vowed to “change the rating on Telegram from one of criticism to one of praise”.
The partnership with the IWF appears to be the latest step in that process.
The IWF is one of the few organizations in the world that can legally seek to reduce child sex.
Its ever-evolving list of known abusive content is used by websites to detect and block the same to prevent its spread.
Telegram says that before becoming a member of the IWF it removed hundreds of thousands of pieces of abusive content each month using its systems. IWF membership will strengthen its methods, the company said.
The app is advertised as an end-to-end encrypted messaging service – meaning only the sender and receiver of the message can read it – like WhatsApp and Signal.
But in reality most communications are done with standard encryption, raising questions about how secure it is from hacking and intrusion.
Mr Durov, who was born in Russia and now lives in Dubai, has citizenship in Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis.
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