Telegram Admits It Has Been Exposing User Data Since 2018

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov admitted that his platform has been disclosing users’ IP addresses, phone numbers, and addresses to law enforcement since 2018. Cryptocurrency security experts expressed disappointment with the revelation.

However, the price of Toncoin remains relatively stable.

Long term policy

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, has claimed that his company has been exposing user information since 2018. The revelation comes shortly after Durov was arrested on charges of facilitating criminal activity on the platform. Since his release , he first said that Telegram would crack down on illegal content, but he clarified those comments today.

“Whenever we receive a properly crafted legal request via the relevant communications channels, we verify and disclose the IP address/phone number of a dangerous criminal. This process has been in place since long before last week,”

Durov said.

This explanation revealed a longstanding secret policy. Durov claimed that Telegram’s principles of freedom, privacy, and protection for activists remain unchanged. However, some in the crypto space disagreed. Deddy Lavid, CEO of Web3 security firm Cyvers, spoke exclusively to BeInCrypto to clarify these common concerns.

“Telegram’s disclosure of users’ IP addresses is a concern for the Web3 community, as it undermines the privacy and decentralization that Web3 represents. Many users frequently Chia wallet addresses via Telegram channels, and if Telegram were to link these wallet addresses to IPs, it could reveal the identity of the user,”

Lavid told BeInCrypto.

Durov said that Telegram's policy of cooperating with law enforcement remains unchanged, and that authorities have only stepped up their demands in recent weeks. However, his tone has changed significantly.

“[This policy] could allow centralized platforms to connect users’ personal information to their blockchain activity. To mitigate this, Web3 projects may XEM moving to decentralized communication tools that prioritize data privacy and protect users from such vulnerabilities,”

Lavid added.

Following Durov’s announcement, the price of Toncoin (TON) has dropped slightly, but nothing significant has happened yet. It remains unclear whether this disappointment from the crypto security industry will lead to a real bearish turn for TON.

However, the price may drop in the future. TON's price has fluctuated in response to Durov's legal troubles, and this incident may be no different.

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