According to Cointelegraph, the messaging platform Telegram has responded to 900 inquiries from the United States regarding user information, with a significant increase in requests following the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in France. A report from 404 Media on January 7 indicated that between January 1 and September 30, 2024, Telegram fulfilled 14 requests specifically for IP addresses and phone numbers. However, the total number of inquiries from the US for the year reached 900, impacting 2,253 users, suggesting a surge in requests after October.
On August 24, French authorities detained Durov, accusing Telegram of facilitating criminal activities. In October, Durov stated that since 2018, Telegram has been providing IP addresses and phone numbers of alleged criminals to authorities in various countries upon request, a policy outlined in the platform's privacy policy. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, which have restricted Durov from leaving France, Telegram continues to operate with a reported 950 million monthly active users as of September. The app remains popular, particularly within the crypto community, due to its end-to-end encryption features.
