Telegram CEO confirms sharing criminals’ IP addresses with authorities since 2018

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov clarified changes to the platform’s privacy policy, emphasizing that the messaging application has shared criminals’ IP addresses with authorities since 2018.

In an Oct. 2 post on his Telegram channel, Durov explained that last week’s policy update aims to streamline and unify Telegram’s privacy approach across different regions.

According to him, the new update would allow the platform to share user IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities in response to legal requests.

This policy update follows Durov’s recent arrest in France , where he faced allegations related to Telegram’s data practices . French authorities detained him for failing to moderate content and share user data, sparking widespread criticism of the grounds for his arrest.

IP address sharing

Durov noted that Telegram has consistently shared criminals’ IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities in countries like Brazil, India, and, more recently, various European nations.

He stated:

“Whenever we received a properly formed legal request via relevant communication lines, we would verify it and disclose the IP addresses/phone numbers of dangerous criminals. This process had been in place long before last week.”

He stated that these disclosures occur in response to formal legal requests submitted through official communication channels. In 2024, Telegram complied with 203 requests in Brazil and 6,992 in India.

Durov also noted an increase in legal requests during the third quarter of 2024. He attributed this rise to European authorities correctly using the appropriate communication channels.

He furthered that Telegram’s Transparency Bot, which provides information on these requests, remains active in delivering updates on processed data disclosures.

Despite these updates, Durov emphasized that Telegram’s fundamental principles remain intact. He reiterated that the platform still champions freedom and privacy while complying with relevant local laws.

He concluded:

“Telegram was built to protect activists and ordinary people from corrupt governments and corporations — we do not allow criminals to abuse our platform or evade justice.”