Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced significant changes to the platform, including the removal of the 'people nearby' feature and media uploads to the 'Telegraph' blog, citing misuse by a minority but posing risks to the majority. These changes are part of a broader effort to enhance content moderation and address criticisms. Additionally, Durov faces legal challenges in France, with charges including money laundering and providing unlicensed cryptology services, linked to allegations of insufficient content moderation related to child pornography.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov revealed that Telegram is cutting certain features from the platform—including media uploads to the platform’s “Telegraph” blog and disabling the “people nearby” feature—in a Sept. 6 announcement. Durov told his followers that media uploads to the blogging platform were “misused” by malicious actors, explaining that the vast majority of the Telegram community was not abusing these features. However, Durov made it clear that the “0.001% involved in illicit activities” pose a disproportionate risk to the vast majority of law-abiding users on Telegram. The Telegram co-founder also announced that the individual geolocation tracking would be ditched for a “businesses nearby” option. Durov likewise claimed that this personal geolocation feature was only used by a tiny minority of Telegram users. “This year, we are committed to turning moderation on Telegram from an area of criticism into one of praise,” Durov concluded. Related: Has Telegram violated EU laws, and why has its founder been charged in France? French prosecutors have alleged that the Telegram founder and the platform were complicit in the spread of child pornography by not enforcing stricter content moderation policies. On Aug. 28, 2024, French authorities charged Durov with money laundering, criminal association, and providing ‘cryptology’ services without a license. French authorities issued arrest warrants for Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai in March 2024. French law enforcement officials claimed that the Telegram founders refused to cooperate with an earlier investigation by failing to identify a specific Telegram user who was allegedly spreading child abuse materials. According to French officials, the probe started after cybercrime investigators from the Paris prosecutor’s office uncovered an illicit Telegram chatroom attempting to lure underage girls into the room and exploit them. On Sept. 5, Durov broke his silence for the first time since his arrest and took to his Telegram channel to clarify the events since his arrest. Since that time, Telegram has signaled a shift in content moderation policies by changing the language surrounding the moderation of private chats in the Telegram frequently asked questions section and trimming certain features. Magazine: Lawmakers’ fear and doubt drives proposed crypto regulations in US 

Telegram's Pavel Durov Announces Feature Removals Amid Legal Challenges