In Short
- The CEO of Telegram was briefly jailed in France.
- Investigating Telegram with an emphasis on extortion and gambling abuse, the Indian IT Ministry.
According to a PTI report, the Indian IT Ministry has urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to look into any possible violations on the Telegram app in the Indian context while Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is being held in French custody. If there have been any complaints against Telegram that are still unresolved, the IT Ministry would like to know so that necessary action can be taken against the app in India as well. The PTI story quotes a source as stating, “In light of what has happened in France, IT Ministry has asked Ministry of Home Affairs to check on complaints pending against Telegram and what action can be taken.”
As per the report, the fundamental inquiry is whether there have been any complaints, whether a comparable scenario exists in India, what is the current condition, and what steps need to be taken.
In the meantime, a different report from MoneyControl claims that the Indian authorities is specifically looking into Telegram’s purported abuse in extortion and gambling.
Information Technology (IT) Rules infractions are allegedly unrelated to the ongoing investigation being conducted by MeitY and the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre. An official affirmed that the platform conforms with these regulations, which require the chief compliance officer, nodal officer, and monthly reports to be published. Authorities intend to evaluate the data they have been given and make choices that comply with regional legislation.
Telegram has also been contacted by India Today Tech for a response on the matter. We’re waiting on a reply.
CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov was arrested in France on August 25 on charges that he had not done enough to curb illegal activity on the site. According to French police, this carelessness gave rise to illicit activity on Telegram, including fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, and the encouragement of terrorism and cyberbullying. Rejecting the charges as “absurd,” Telegram said in a response that Durov had “nothing to hide” and that the network complies with all applicable EU legislation, notably the Digital Services Act. After being questioned for up to ninety-six hours, Durov may be charged or freed.
CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov travels throughout Europe on a regular basis and has nothing to conceal. To say that a platform or its owner is accountable for misuse of that platform is ridiculous. Telegram is used by nearly a billion users worldwide as a communication tool and source of important information. We’re hoping that this will be resolved quickly. Telegram is here for everyone, the business stated in an X post. The statement further states that Telegram “abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act” and that “its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.”
The ongoing legal dispute highlights the conflict between Telegram’s stance on freedom of speech and privacy and Western governments’ requests for more stringent content regulation. Amidst these changes, there have been unfounded rumors circulating that say Telegram would be automatically taken from users’ smartphones or withdrawn from the App Store. These are untrue rumors.