Telegram Joins Efforts to CSAM Following CEO’s Legal Troubles

Telegram Joins Efforts to CSAM Following CEO's Legal Troubles

Key Points

  • Telegram partnered with the International Watch Foundation (IWF) to combat child sexual abuse material.
  • The move follows CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest in France on charges related to CSAM.
  • The IWF will provide Telegram with tools to block harmful content, including hashes of known CSAM materials.
  • The platform recently agreed to share user data in response to legal requests, a major policy shift.

Telegram has joined the International Watch Foundation (IWF) in a move aimed at curbing the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its platform. This collaboration comes four months after Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, faced legal troubles in France. In August, French authorities charged Durov with 12 offenses, including complicity in distributing, offering, or making available pornographic images of minors in an organized group and possessing such material.

The IWF, a UK-based organization, works globally with social media platforms, tech companies, and governments to combat CSAM. By joining the IWF, Telegram can access advanced tools to block links to CSAM and non-photographic depictions, including AI-generated images. The foundation also provides hashes of known CSAM content and alerts platforms to harmful materials detected. Since 2022, the IWF has identified thousands of confirmed CSAM instances on Telegram, underscoring the need for more stringent content moderation measures.

Historically, Telegram resisted partnerships with organizations that could assist in limiting CSAM. However, Telegram’s Head of Press and Media Relations, Remi Vaughn, stated that the platform removes hundreds of thousands of child abuse materials monthly using reports, AI moderation, and hash-matching technology. Vaughn acknowledged that the IWF’s involvement would bolster Telegram’s ability to eliminate CSAM before it reaches users, marking a significant shift in the platform’s stance on combating harmful content.

In addition to joining the IWF, Telegram has implemented other policy changes since Durov’s legal challenges began. In September, the platform announced it would comply with legal requests to provide IP addresses and phone numbers, a sharp departure from its previous commitment to user privacy. These steps signal a broader shift in Telegram’s operational priorities as it faces mounting legal and regulatory scrutiny.

Durov, meanwhile, remains in France under the current legal restrictions. The charges against him have intensified global attention on Telegram’s content moderation policies and its responsibility to prevent the spread of harmful materials. By collaborating with the IWF, Telegram hopes to strengthen its defenses against CSAM and demonstrate its commitment to ensuring user safety on its platform.

EDITORIAL TEAM
EDITORIAL TEAM
TechGolly editorial team led by Al Mahmud Al Mamun. He worked as an Editor-in-Chief at a world-leading professional research Magazine. Rasel Hossain and Enamul Kabir are supporting as Managing Editor. Our team is intercorporate with technologists, researchers, and technology writers. We have substantial knowledge and background in Information Technology (IT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Embedded Technology.

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