Telegram to disclose IP addresses and phone numbers of users violating platform rules

To address this, Durov revealed that a dedicated team of moderators, supported by AI, has been actively working to make Telegram Search safer. "Over the last few weeks, a dedicated team of moderators, leveraging AI, has made Telegram Search much safer," he said. He added that all the problematic content identified through the search function has now been removed, making it inaccessible to users. Durov urged users to report any unsafe or illegal content they may still come across via the @SearchReport channel.

In a significant step to deter future criminal activity, Telegram has updated its Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, aligning them globally. Durov stated, "We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests."

These new measures, according to Durov, should discourage bad actors from exploiting Telegram’s search capabilities. He reiterated the platform’s core intention: “Telegram Search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods. We won't let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users."