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India could block Telegram if it finds that the platform is being used for gambling and extortion.
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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been detained in France on allegations that he enabled illegal activities through the messaging platform.
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The Indian Government has intensified its scrutiny of Telegram. They cite issues such as copyright infringements and the spreading of illegal content.
The Indian government has launched an investigation into Telegram over alleged extortion activities and gambling. This comes a day after French officials detained Pavel Durov, the platform’s CEO.
According to a government official who is familiar with the situation, the investigation, led by the Ministry of Home Affairs Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre I4C and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology MeitY, raises the possibility of Telegram’s blocking in India.
Durov was arrested in a French airport by the authorities on August 25, as part of an investigation into criminal activities that Telegram is alleged to have facilitated, including money-laundering and drug trafficking. The French authorities claim that the illegal activities were allowed to continue because of insufficient moderation. Durov’s arrest marks a significant increase in scrutiny for Telegram, who has been criticized over its handling of illegal material.
Telegram responded to Durov’s detention by releasing a statement to X. The company stated that their CEO had “nothing” to hide and that the platform complied with all applicable EU law, including the Digital Services Act. The company stressed that it is “absurd” to claim that the platform or its owner is responsible for abuses of the platform.
Telegram is known to be associated with criminal activity. In 2019, South Korean authorities discovered an online sex network operating on the platform where more than 70 women, including children, were forced to produce sexual content. The Korean Herald reported that this content was sold in Telegram chatrooms. The incident exposed serious security flaws in the platform and raised global concerns about its use by criminals.
Telegram was also under intense scrutiny in India due to the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material. In October 2023 MeitY sent a notice to Telegram, and other social media platforms in India, demanding that CSAM be removed from their services. This action was taken after an investigation by the Economic Times that prompted senior IT officials to address growing concerns about CSAM on Telegram.
Telegram is also a hotbed for copyright violations. Media organizations such as India Today Group and Jagaran Prakashan as well as educational institutions such as Allen and Made Easy have filed lawsuits for the illegal distribution of copyrighted material.
The future of Telegram on one of its biggest markets is uncertain as the Indian government continues to investigate.
