Ofcom Probes Telegram
- Ofcom has opened an investigation into Telegram over alleged sharing of child sexual abuse material and potential failures to act. - One report suggests potential fines could reach into the billions if breaches are proven. - The probe, paired with reports that Pavel Durov is now a Russian 'suspect', puts Telegram under pressure from both UK regulators and Russian authorities (thecyberexpress.com) (lefigaro.fr).
Britain’s online safety regulator has opened a formal investigation into Telegram over whether child sexual abuse material was being shared on the app and whether the company failed to stop it. (ofcom.org.uk) Ofcom said on April 21 that it was investigating Telegram Messenger Inc. under Section 10 of the Online Safety Act 2023, which covers a platform’s duty to use proportionate measures against illegal content. A separate case page says the probe is focused on child sexual abuse material. (ofcom.org.uk) The regulator said it opened the case after gathering evidence that child sexual abuse material may have been present and shared on Telegram. Reuters reported the investigation on April 22 and said Ofcom had launched it after finding evidence suggesting such material was circulating on the service. (ofcom.org.uk) (usnews.com) The case is one of the clearest tests yet of the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act, which gives Ofcom power to investigate platforms, levy fines, and in the most serious cases seek court orders to block access. The government’s summary of the law says penalties can reach 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue. (gov.uk) Ofcom has been ramping up enforcement for months. On March 12 it told tech firms to keep underage children off their platforms, and on March 19 it announced a £450,000 fine against 4chan for failing to protect children from pornography. (ofcom.org.uk 1) (ofcom.org.uk 2) Telegram is not the only service in this week’s sweep. Ofcom also opened investigations into the teen chat sites Chat-Avenue and Teen Chat over whether they had done enough to prevent children from being groomed by predators. (ofcom.org.uk) The pressure on Telegram is also coming from Russia. Pavel Durov said on April 22 that a summons naming him a “suspect” in a criminal case had been sent to an apartment where he lived about 20 years ago, according to Reuters and Le Figaro. (usnews.com) (lefigaro.fr) Meduza reported that Durov posted the notice on his Telegram channel and said it was unclear who had sent it. In that post, he mocked the allegation and framed it as retaliation for defending free speech and private correspondence. (meduza.io) Telegram’s response to the UK case was not included in Ofcom’s April 21 announcement. The next step is whether Ofcom concludes the company breached its duties under the law it is now using against some of the world’s largest online platforms. (ofcom.org.uk)
