Telegram Increases Data Sharing After CEO's Arrest

Telegram has significantly increased its cooperation with law enforcement agencies, sharing user data in response to a surge in requests following the arrest of its CEO Pavel Durov in France. In 2024, Telegram fulfilled 900 data requests from U.S. agencies, affecting 2,253 users, a notable rise from only 14 requests earlier in the year. The change in policy, which now includes sharing IP addresses and phone numbers, came after Durov's arrest related to allegations of enabling criminal activities on the platform. This shift marks a departure from Telegram's previous stance of only sharing data in terrorism-related cases. The increase in data sharing has prompted concerns about privacy and has reportedly led to some cybercriminals leaving the platform. Telegram's transparency reports reveal that similar trends are observed in other countries, with significant numbers of requests being fulfilled in regions like India and the UK.