In his first public address since being arrested by French authorities, Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, acknowledged that while the platform has room for improvement, claims of it being an "anarchic paradise" are untrue. Durov stated that Telegram will increase its efforts to moderate harmful content and combat criminal abuse on the platform.

Durov highlighted the significant measures already in place to ensure the safety of users. Telegram takes down millions of harmful posts and channels daily and publishes transparency reports to keep the public informed. The platform has direct hotlines with NGOs to expedite the processing of urgent moderation requests.

However, Telegram has faced criticism, particularly from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), for alleged non-cooperation in removing child sexual abuse material. Durov acknowledged these concerns and vowed to address them. He attributed the platform's rapid increase in user count to 950 million as a factor that made it easier for criminals to exploit the platform.

Durov assured users that the company has already begun internal measures to improve moderation efforts and promised to provide further details on their progress soon. However, due to his indictment in France, Durov is currently forbidden from leaving the country, and the authorities have accused Telegram of demonstrating a lack of response to requests for cooperation in cases involving crimes against minors, drug offenses, and online hate.

In a notable development, Telegram made changes to its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section regarding the handling of illegal content. The updated FAQ suggests that Telegram may implement more moderation of private messages. Previously, the company stated that all chats and group chats were private, and they did not process any requests related to them. However, the revised version now includes instructions on reporting illegal content in messages and directs users to "Report" buttons within the app.

While Telegram messages do not have end-to-end encryption as a default feature, users can enable this security measure for one-on-one conversations. The platform also allows the creation of groups with up to 200,000 members and channels for public messaging to any audience size. However, end-to-end encryption cannot be activated for group messages.

Telegram's commitment to enhancing moderation efforts demonstrates its determination to combat criminal abuse and maintain a safer environment for its users. With a focus on transparency and increased collaboration with NGOs, Telegram aims to address concerns regarding harmful content and criminal activity on its platform.