Euractiv’s Post

My first contribution for the Atlantic Council Strategic Litigation Project is focused on the debates surrounding the possible Telegram ban in Ukraine. Together with the TikTok (ByteDance) decisions in the US, it forms part of a broader global discussion on the accountability of digital platforms, whose influence is growing daily. In Ukraine, national security concerns about the safety of Telegram and its use for disinformation purposes are reasonable. But the possible ban is intensely felt in society, even more so than the fact that Telegram, for which Ukraine represents 2-2.5% of the global market, can easily disregard national security interests, which means the interests of every Ukrainian. Therefore, it is important to consider the arguments from both sides and not blame only the Ukrainian government for freedom of speech restrictions. Growing impact means growing responsibility. https://lnkd.in/dxwGame2   

https://lnkd.in/gC82hawT This news makes me think about the relationship between free speech and restrictions. Platforms like Telegram theoretically should allow people to share ideas and express themselves freely. However, in fact, they also increase crimes, such as drug trafficking and child abuse, threatening public security. Therefore, how to balance free speech with restrictions? What responsibilities should technology companies like Telegram undertake? How can we raise public awareness of potential criminal activities? How can we protect ourselves while using social media? These are crucial questions to address. In my view, government or technology companies should set a bottom line for what is allowed on these platforms. Regulations also need to be strengthened to protect users. Finding the right balance between free speech and regulation is essential. #news #digitalsocialmedia

It’s hard to imagine another product of any other industry with this much sensitive information of so many people, with this much vast influence on lives and geopolitics, that is also this unregulated. Telegram, which claims to have as few as 30 engineers, is led by one capricious 39 year old man who is now under investigation in France. Pavel Durov, who posted 5 million euro bail, cannot leave France and has to report to a police station twice a week, while authorities investigate him for a range of crimes including possessing and distributing child porn, drug trafficking and criminal association. We take a deep dive on what's happened and what this means for Telegram. https://lnkd.in/eMe59Qcj

Telegram Revises Policy: User Data to Be Shared with Authorities Telegram will now share users' IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities holding valid search warrants. CEO Pavel Durov explains that this change is aimed at curbing criminal activity on the platform. Critics, however, fear that this policy could compromise the safety of political dissidents, particularly in repressive regimes. Despite Telegram’s AI-powered moderation efforts, concerns remain about whether these actions will meet the legal demands of French and European authorities. #TelegramUpdate #DataPrivacy #UserSecurity #TechPolicy #PrivacyConcerns #DigitalSafety #LegalCompliance #TechNews #DataProtection #OnlineSecurity #Linkedin #YouthCommunity #FarhanasBrainstation #FBS

SBU: "Telegram messenger cooperates with Roskomnadzor and FSB." = Thanks to all the media and activists who cover this huge systemic risk for Ukraine. Thank you to The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Telegram will be gradually regulated. At the same time, it is important not to forget about all the major Ukrainian businesses, meetings, and activism that take place there and to separate the platform from the content. If you are actively using TG as a media or for correspondence, it's time to switch to Signal, WhatsApp, X, and create web mirrors of your content projects. The SBU warns from afar.

Where is the balance between protecting communities from bad actors like terrorists, child abusers, drug traffickers, etc, who use digital media for their nefarious purposes, and the right to data privacy and freedom of expression? Telegram has been always the platform where data was really private (at least that we know) but after the arrest of Telegram’s CEO, there are real concerns about data privacy in the EU, as Telegram has said it is going to collaborate with the EU law enforcement and intelligence agencies which, as we know, can be used to fight against crime, but also to use it (for “our own good”) in a way that all our data is no private any more. So EU may have more access to user data on Telegram’s servers, and we won’t necessarily trust anymore that our interactions on Telegram are fully encrypted. Anyway, we have to know better what is going to happen, and what Telegram is going to do to make its users trust yet their data is real private. We all know that real criminals will just move to other encrypted platforms if Telegram is compromised.  Telegram Messenger #telegram #TheHill #HillTV #privacy #dataprivacy #regulations #freedom #EU https://lnkd.in/dvFfDT3n 🌿 Learn a lot about 4IRGPT.com knowledge trading for your professional benefit, creativity, productivity, business or organisation through Perplexity AI. Click here to see why: https://lnkd.in/dY5MmsGh 🪴💥 Watch 💯 uninterrupted 15,000+ videos of intelligence in tech, finance & geopolitics. Keep yourself and family super smart and way ahead of the herd. Click here: https://lnkd.in/dHJ8i_Q5

I don't even know what's more interesting: 1. The fact that Telegram blocked the GUR and SBU chatbots from communicating with Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories (is anyone surprised?) 2. The fact that the GUR and the SBU still use Telegram as the main service for communicating with these people (despite a many facts of cooperation between the TG and russia and many possible alternatives) 3. The fact that a number of Telegram bloggers said that all this happened because of those people who have been paying attention to the facts of TG's cooperation with the Kremlin in recent years (of course, and putin attacked because we kept troops on the border and threatened him, right?) 4. The fact that Reuters quoted an “unnamed representative of Telegraph” (really, it could have been an “unnamed employee of an unnamed company”) 5. The fact that Telegram has restored access to these bots (disconnect, just kidding - it was a drill, everything works well, but it’s not yet time for the real action) 6. Or the fact that the Ukrainian media illustrates this with a photo where it says that Telegram is a safe service (well, you know) Let me know what you find the most interesting part of this story. Also is this enough for you to remove TG from your devices and move all correspondence and media activities elsewhere, or will you wait for an even more significant disruption?. Meanwhile, I will wait for further developments. It's clear that this is just the beginning, and there will be a lot more trouble from TG. But we will not always know that this trouble is from Telegram.

Telegram Revises Policy: User Data to Be Shared with Authorities Telegram will now share users' IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities holding valid search warrants. CEO Pavel Durov explains that this change is aimed at curbing criminal activity on the platform. Critics, however, fear that this policy could compromise the safety of political dissidents, particularly in repressive regimes. Despite Telegram’s AI-powered moderation efforts, concerns remain about whether these actions will meet the legal demands of French and European authorities. #TelegramUpdate #DataPrivacy #UserSecurity #TechPolicy #PrivacyConcerns #DigitalSafety #LegalCompliance #TechNews #DataProtection #OnlineSecurity #Linkedin #YouthCommunity #FarhanasBrainstation #FBS

Here’s something a little different! With last week’s arrest of Pavel Durov in Paris, I've been thinking deeply about the balance between privacy, free expression, and public safety. Free speech is critical for allowing voices and information to be shared in repressive regimes, and is fundamental to the function of a free society. It's also a foundational right as defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN. However, providing mechanisms for sharing free speech, such as Telegram, also creates a platform for malice. Whether it's spreading misinformation, extremist content, or even worse, proliferating child pornography. Should platforms like Telegram stand firm against censorship, or do they need to step up to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation? In reality, there is no middle ground here. It's either free of oversight, regulation, and censorship, or it isn’t! I’ve formed my own opinion that I have shared in the following blog post, but I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this topic, especially if there’s a unique solution that hasn’t yet been considered. https://lnkd.in/gHmRzv7X

Some very salient points made by Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, which also lend credence to the likelihood this was meant as harassment and official intimidation, under color of law. As he notes: 1) Telegram has an official representative in the EU, who accepts and replies to EU requests. This was not used. 2) The French authorities had numerous ways to reach him if they so desired, and this entire charade was not necessary. He was a frequent guest of the French Consul in Dubai, for example. 3) Our laws have not kept up with technology. The newspaper era is over. If we want continued innovation in tech, we must address this matter. Side note: No one should be held liable for crimes committed by others. Pencils don't misspell words, and spoons don't make people fat. Put the blame where it rightfully lies. 4) Companies must maintain freedom of association, be it with individuals, other companies, or entire countries. This entire episode was a stain on the notion of fair and impartial justice, and one which should not soon be repeated in any free country.