An investigation has begun towards Telegram in South Korea on comparable expenses introduced towards the messenger in France.
Yonhap Information Company, citing the police, reported that the platform is accused of aiding and abetting sexual crimes. The top of the South Korean Nationwide Police Investigation Company, Woo Jong-soo, stated that Telegram shouldn’t be offering the information obligatory for the investigation, together with account data.
Yonhap notes that that is the primary investigation towards Telegram in South Korea. It considerations eight bots that generate pretend supplies with sexual content material and channels that distribute these photos. From Aug. 26 to 29, the police acquired 88 complaints and recognized 24 suspects.
South Korean legislation enforcement officers wish to cooperate with French authorities. In accordance with them, the same drawback worries representatives of different international locations, together with the US.
Telegram Blocked in Indonesia
Jakarta Globe additionally reported after the investigation started in France, citing a press release by Indonesian Minister of Communications and Data Expertise Budi Arie Setiadi, that Indonesian authorities are contemplating blocking Telegram within the nation.
The minister stated that the authorities are involved in regards to the unfold of unlawful content material on Telegram, together with the alleged involvement of Pavel Durov’s challenge in selling on-line playing and distributing pornography.
“I would favor to close down Bigo Dwell and Telegram instantly, however a crew must conduct additional research first.”
In accordance with him, the Indonesian authorities has repeatedly approached Telegram representatives and the crew of one other live-streaming app, Bigo Dwell, asking them to enhance content material moderation. Nonetheless, the businesses should nonetheless implement simpler measures to satisfy the nation’s regulator’s necessities.
The investigation towards Telegram in France
Telegram founder Pavel Durov was detained in France. He has been charged with conspiracy in sexualized violence towards youngsters, drug trafficking, and several other different crimes that had been dedicated because of the power to stay nameless on Telegram.
After 4 days in custody, Durov was launched on bail of €5 million, banned from leaving France, and ordered to report back to the police twice every week.
Telegram acknowledged that the platform’s moderation meets requirements, the messenger crew complies with EU legal guidelines, and blaming the platform’s founder for person abuses is absurd.
New particulars of Durov’s interrogation
Earlier, the French newspaper Liberation, citing a supply near the investigation, reported that Durov, throughout interrogation in Paris, stated that he had communicated with representatives of the Basic Directorate of Inside Safety of the French Ministry of the Inside.
The publication claims that the messenger’s founder allegedly stated that he opened an official communication channel with French counterintelligence as a part of the battle towards terrorism. This considerations a sure “hotline” and a particular electronic mail deal with. The change of knowledge through this communication channel made it attainable to forestall a number of terrorist assaults.
In accordance with Liberation, Durov expressed his willingness to cooperate with legislation enforcement businesses after his arrest and gave them his cellphone with the entry code to it.
Nonetheless, the knowledge introduced within the Liberation publication has not been formally confirmed. Representatives of the French investigation and Pavel Durov didn’t touch upon it.
Telegram accumulates crypto belongings
In accordance with the Monetary Occasions (FT), Telegram held about $400 million in cryptocurrencies in 2023. FT, citing monetary paperwork, added that in 2024, the messenger offered Toncoin (TON) value greater than $244 million.
As well as, final yr, the corporate acquired income of $342 million, working losses of $108 million, and complete losses of about $173 million after taxes. Telegram additionally raised about $2.4 billion in debt financing, maturing in 2026.
Telegram’s crypto initiatives proceed to develop
Telegram’s cryptocurrency initiatives started to develop particularly quickly after Durov once more spoke about creating decentralized monetary devices based mostly on the social community in December 2022. He revealed the instruments for buying and selling and storing cryptocurrencies. The crew’s plans included creating non-custodial crypto wallets and decentralized exchanges.
Durov’s initiative responded to the collapse of the centralized crypto change FTX in November 2022. He believed that the crypto trade ought to return to its decentralized roots. The developer ought to have specified when the messenger’s new instruments would seem in the marketplace.
“We, builders, ought to steer the blockchain trade away from centralization by constructing quick and easy-to-use decentralized purposes for the lots. Such initiatives are lastly possible as we speak.”
Since then, Telegram has begun actively strengthening its presence as a software for cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (defi). The messenger now has its cryptocurrency pockets, mini-games for incomes cryptocurrencies, and extra.
After Durov’s arrest in France, the group had considerations in regards to the messenger’s additional improvement. Nonetheless, the Telegram crew concluded they’d a plan in case of pressure majeure.
What’s going to occur to Telegram?
The considerations in regards to the messenger are primarily associated to the issue of content material moderation, which is why, in accordance with the authorities, the messenger is actively utilized by criminals.
After the accusations in France, the authorities of different international locations could observe swimsuit and start to research Telegram’s actions extra actively. Nonetheless, no different expenses have been introduced towards Durov but.