Telegram Transferred Data of 2,253 Users to US Authorities
Date: 2025-01-10 Author: Oliver Abernathy Categories: BUSINESS
According to the Transparency Report published by 404 Media, from January to September 2024, the messenger satisfied 14 requests from the US, providing IP addresses and/or phone numbers of 108 users. In total, over the year, the US authorities requested data on 2,253 Telegram users. Interestingly, the increase in the number of requests occurred in the last quarter of the year - from October to December.
At the same time, over the same nine-month period of 2024, Telegram did not satisfy a single official request from Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing the selective approach to providing information in different regions.
Earlier, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has repeatedly cited data on legal requests from various countries to disclose user data. In August 2024, French authorities brought preliminary charges against him for allegedly failing to combat criminal activity on the platform.
While under judicial control in France, Durov was required to post €5 million bail and report to the police twice a week. He is also prohibited from leaving the country until March 2025.
After his release, the businessman announced plans to strengthen moderation on the platform, which was implemented: since September, Telegram has become more responsive to legal requests from European authorities.
The increase in requests for user data raises questions about the balance between privacy and the need to cooperate with government agencies.
