Technical Investigation Launched Against Telegram: FT

The spokesman for the European Commission, Thomas Regnier, announced that a "technical investigation" has been launched against Telegram. This was reported by the Financial Times (FT).

In February, the administration of the service reported that there are 41 million active users in the EU. This has not allowed the social network to be classified as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP). In August, the data was supposed to be clarified, but Telegram only reported that it is "significantly less" than the legal threshold of 45 million users.

The European Commission emphasized that it has means to verify this data independently, and if it turns out that the figure is higher, the messenger will be unilaterally included in the VLOP list. This status entails stricter obligations for compliance and content moderation, including combating misinformation, as well as mandatory data exchange with the European Commission.

“The DSA is not for censorship. The only thing we require from the platforms is the removal of illegal content once users notify the platform. The DSA does not define what is illegal. This is stipulated by national and international legislation,” Regnier clarified.

Telegram has gained popularity in recent years, transforming from a messaging service that offers encrypted communications into a social network and broadcasting platform. The company claims that its service audience is approaching 1 billion globally.

It is worth noting that Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been released on a €5 million bail. Durov is prohibited from leaving French territory. He is suspected of inaction in managing the Telegram platform in relation to financial and cyber crimes carried out through it.