The European Union is scrutinizing Telegram, a messaging app founded by Pavel Durov, over concerns that it may be evading stricter regulations by misrepresenting its user numbers. The Joint Research Centre, a department of the European Commission, is conducting a technical investigation into the app’s user base in the bloc.
The inquiry is aimed at determining the accuracy of Telegram’s user numbers, which the company claims are “significantly fewer than 45 million average monthly active users in the EU”. However, officials believe the true figure is higher, with more than 45 million residents using the app. This distinction is crucial as services with over 45 million users are classified as “very large online platforms” and subject to stricter rules under the Digital Services Act.
The investigation is also scrutinizing Telegram’s content moderation practices, amid concerns that the platform is being used to distribute illicit content, including child pornography. Durov, who has been accused of “complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software”, has been released from custody after posting bail.
As the investigation unfolds, the EU is also examining Telegram’s data sharing practices, with concerns that the company is not complying with requirements to share data with the European Commission. The inquiry is part of a broader effort to ensure that large online platforms are meeting stricter standards for content moderation and compliance.
Durov, who obtained French citizenship a few years ago, is required to stay in France and check in at a police station twice weekly until the investigation is concluded. The outcome of the inquiry is being closely watched by regulators and industry observers, as it may have implications for the broader tech industry.
