Telegram shares user data with authorities

So far, the Messenger Telegram has boasted that it has not passed on any user data to the authorities. Apparently that is no longer true, because according to a media report, the BKA received some.

Contrary to previous claims, Messenger Telegram apparently passed on data to German police authorities, as reported by “Der Spiegel”. This was information on suspects in connection with child pornography and terrorism.

However, BKA officials told the magazine that it was still difficult for investigators to obtain information via Telegram. The operators of the messenger had repeatedly emphasized that they did not want to pass on any user data to the authorities.

Telegram is considered a meeting point for lateral thinkers, opponents of vaccination, conspiracy believers, neo-Nazis and other groups that are problematic from a constitutional point of view. The reason: Anyone can write whatever they want here, and users generally do not have to fear moderation or even legal consequences.

Own contact address for the BKA

In the meantime, Telegram has even set up its own e-mail address for the Federal Criminal Police Office, it is said. Investigators can inform Telegram about this if they come across criminal content that should be blocked, writes “Der Spiegel”. So far, over 100 German channels and groups have been reported in this way – almost all of them can no longer be reached in Germany.

Contact with the Telegram leadership was established in February at the instigation of Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. Even the head of the company, Pawel Durow, and other high-ranking representatives of Telegram took part in the first talks.