Telegram, the popular messaging app used by nearly 950 million people globally, has announced a significant shift in its policy to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The platform will now collaborate with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), an internationally recognised organisation dedicated to detecting and removing such content.

For years, Telegram had resisted joining child protection schemes, drawing criticism from various advocacy groups. However, the recent arrest of its founder, Pavel Durov, in Paris appears to have prompted a change. Durov’s arrest stemmed from allegations that Telegram failed to moderate extreme content, including CSAM, drug trafficking, and fraud. Although the company maintains that Durov’s detention is unjust, the platform has since introduced several reforms aimed at addressing these issues.

Derek Ray-Hill, Interim CEO of the IWF, described Telegram’s decision as “transformational” but cautioned that it marks only the beginning of a “much longer journey” for the platform. He added that by joining the IWF, Telegram can begin deploying world-leading tools to ensure this material cannot be shared on the service.

Telegram has made efforts to improve moderation and accountability on its platform. It will now share IP addresses and phone numbers of users violating its rules with police upon valid legal requests. The “people nearby” feature, which had been exploited by bots and scammers, has been removed. Additionally, Telegram will publish regular reports on content removal, aligning with industry standards it had previously resisted. The platform also plans to leverage the IWF’s tools to strengthen its existing mechanisms for detecting and removing abusive material. Before partnering with the IWF, Telegram claimed to have removed hundreds of thousands of abusive materials monthly using its internal systems. The IWF membership is expected to bolster these efforts significantly.

Telegram’s privacy-centric model has long been its selling point, but it has also attracted criminal activity. Investigative reports have highlighted its use for advertising drugs, cybercrime services, and CSAM, earning it the moniker “the dark web in your pocket.” The company now aims to transform its reputation. Durov has pledged to make Telegram’s moderation practices “an area of praise rather than criticism.” The partnership with the IWF marks a critical step in this direction.

Despite its new stance, Telegram’s journey to becoming a safer platform faces hurdles. The app’s encryption practices have raised questions about its security and accountability. While it markets itself as fully end-to-end encrypted, much of its communication uses standard encryption, leaving it potentially vulnerable to interception. Telegram remains especially popular in Russia, Ukraine, Iran, and other former Soviet Union states. With this global reach comes a responsibility to balance privacy with safety, a challenge it appears ready to take on.

Telegram’s decision to join the IWF represents a significant policy U-turn after years of criticism. While it signals progress, experts warn that meaningful change will require sustained effort and accountability. The messaging giant now has the tools and opportunity to address its critics and provide a safer environment for its users.