Written By Lisa Murimi
The messaging app Telegram, whose CEO Pavel Durov has been arrested in France, is under fire for its refusal to join international efforts to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online.Â
The app, with over 950 million registered users, is not a member of key organizations like the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which work to detect and remove such content.
Durov, a billionaire tech mogul, remains in custody over allegations including failure to cooperate with law enforcement on issues related to drug trafficking, child sexual content, and fraud.
Despite these accusations, Telegram has defended its moderation practices as “within industry standards and constantly improving.”
However, the platform’s absence from NCMEC’s CyberTipline and the IWF’s services raises concerns.
The IWF noted that while Telegram does remove CSAM when confirmed, its responsiveness is slower compared to other platforms.
Telegram has also avoided transparency reporting norms and other child protection schemes, drawing criticism for its opaque practices.
As Telegram continues to operate outside of these frameworks, pressure mounts for the platform to take a more active role in combating online child abuse.
