About nine months ago, while researching for a story, I found myself unexpectedly added to a large Telegram channel focused on drug sales. This led to further additions to channels about hacking and stolen credit cards. I realized that my Telegram settings allowed people to add me to channels without my consent. Curious to see what would happen, I left the settings unchanged. Over the next few months, I was added to 82 different groups. Eventually, I changed my settings to prevent this, but by then, every time I logged in, I was bombarded with thousands of messages from dozens of extremely active illegal groups.

The recent arrest of Telegram's billionaire CEO, Pavel Durov, in France has sparked a debate about the platform's moderation practices. Durov has been charged with suspected complicity in enabling illicit transactions, drug trafficking, fraud, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on Telegram. Although criminal activities also occur on other social networks, my experience suggests a broader problem that has concerned law enforcement for years.

Here is a glimpse of some of the groups I was added to. All images were posted within these groups, and the names of the channels have been altered to avoid promoting them. It is not surprising that some, like cybersecurity podcaster Patrick Gray, have been describing Telegram as “the dark web in your pocket” for months.

The dark web, typically accessed with specialized software and knowledge, has been known for illegal goods and services since the Silk Road marketplace emerged in 2011. On his podcast *Risky Business*, Gray discussed Durov’s arrest, noting that Telegram has long been a haven for crime. “We are talking about child sexual abuse material, drug sales, and other dark web-level criminality that they’re just doing nothing about,” he said.

Criminals are drawn to the dark web for its anonymity, making it difficult to trace users. Researchers at cybersecurity firm Intel471 report that before Telegram, this activity was primarily conducted in online markets hosted on hidden dark web services. However, for less skilled cybercriminals, “Telegram has become one of the most popular online destinations.” The hacker group Qilin, which held NHS hospitals for ransom earlier this summer, notably published stolen blood test data on its Telegram channel before its dark web site. A deepfake service that created fake nudes of schoolgirls in Spain and South Korea also operates fully, including payments, on Telegram.

Some Telegram criminal channels I was added to also have a presence on Snapchat, and drug dealers can be found on Instagram, where deals are likely made in private chats. However, drug dealers often advertise their Telegram channels on these other sites to direct users to that platform. In January, state police in Latvia established a separate unit to monitor chat apps for drug trafficking, with Telegram being a particular concern.

Telegram claims its moderation is “within industry standards,” but recent evidence suggests otherwise, especially regarding the spread of CSAM. The BBC recently learned that while Telegram does respond to some takedown requests, it does not participate in proactive programs to prevent the spread of CSAM. French prosecutors have specifically cited this as a significant issue, with Jean-Michel Bernigaud of the French child protection agency Ofmin stating that the case centers on Telegram's lack of moderation and cooperation in combating crimes against children. Telegram claims it proactively searches for illegal activity, including CSAM, and stated that action was taken against 45,000 groups in August alone. However, the company did not respond to follow-up questions.

Moderation is only part of Telegram’s problem. Its response to police requests to remove illegal content and provide evidence is another significant issue. Brian Fishman, co-founder of Cinder, a trust and safety software platform, stated that “Telegram has been the key hub for Isis for a decade. It tolerates CSAM. It’s ignored reasonable law enforcement engagement for years. It’s not 'light' content moderation; it’s a different approach entirely.”

Telegram’s privacy features, particularly its “Secret Chat” option, offer users end-to-end encryption, making it impossible for even Telegram to view the contents. However, this feature is not the default setting, and most of the illicit activity on the platform, including the groups I was added to, does not use Secret Chat. Telegram could monitor and report illegal activity to the authorities if it chose to but has stated in its terms and conditions that it does not interfere with chats or group chats.

Pavel Durov has previously stated that only “about 30 engineers” run Telegram. Law enforcement officials have expressed frustration with Telegram's cold approach to cooperation, noting an “almost total lack of response” from Telegram to legal requests in France and Belgium.

Despite the criticism of Telegram’s moderation practices, some are concerned about Durov’s arrest. Digital rights organization Access Now expressed concern, warning that detaining platform staff without aligning with human rights principles could lead to over-censorship and shrink civic spaces. Telegram maintains that “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of that platform.”

Elon Musk, owner of X (formerly Twitter), has condemned Durov's arrest as an attack on free speech and called for his release. Some criminals on the Telegram groups I am in have also begun sharing "FreeDurov" imagery in both English and Russian.