Telegram updates FAQ on moderation after CEO’s arrest

Telegram has quietly revised its FAQ page, removing references to private chats being exempt from moderation, days after CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest in France over alleged criminal activity on the platform.
In his first statement since the arrest, Durov acknowledged the platform’s growing issues with illegal content and promised stronger moderation efforts. “Telegram’s rapid user growth to 950 million has led to vulnerabilities, making it easier for criminals to exploit the platform,” he said. “We’ve already begun improving our processes, and more updates will follow soon.”
The company’s FAQ previously stated that it would not handle moderation requests for private chats, emphasising that group and private conversations were only visible to participants. However, this language has now been replaced by instructions for reporting illegal content via a built-in feature in the app.
Durov was arrested after French authorities accused Telegram of allowing the distribution of illegal content, including child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, while allegedly refusing to cooperate with investigators, according to the Associated Press.