As social platforms like We are facing the stage, said CEO Pavel Durov. Telegram message: He makes controversial comments defending the way the app should be do not have It removed some of the more sensitive war-related reporting published there, arguing that it could prove to be an important information channel.
He continued that this is different from social media because users only see content that they have subscribed to. (Yes, it does not take into account how the content posted on Telegram is shared.)
In a post on Telegram today, Durov borrowed more “classy” language that other social media executives have used, saying, “Telegram’s moderators and AI tools have filtered millions of pages of clearly harmful content. “We are also removing it from our public platforms,” āāhe said, but he quickly moved to defend the app, which continues to allow sensitive content in the “war reporting” category.
“The approach to war-related reporting is rarely clear.” (He does not define what the line is between “obviously harmful reporting” and “war-related reporting.”)
“It would be easy for us to destroy this source, but doing so risks making an already dire situation even worse,” he continued, adding that Hamas had urged civilians in Ashkelon to leave the area ahead of a missile attack. He cited the use of telegrams to issue warnings. . “Will shutting down their channels save lives or put more lives at risk?” he asked in today’s post.
Mr. Durov’s comments were undoubtedly made at a time when Telegram was in the midst of disseminating information to the world, but it was not limited to Telegram’s channels. In the first hours and days of the deadly terrorist attack, Hamas and its affiliates posted numerous graphic, unedited videos of their actions on Telegram, and the app quickly became popular with mainstream media and many individuals. It has become a frequently cited reference point. Posting and sharing news on his other social channels, in some cases he may even link directly to Telegram posts or even capture and re-share their content. The telegraph’s role in transmitting information is itself under attack.
It may be ironic that Telegram is benefiting from this situation by getting more traffic. Durov noted that “hundreds of thousands” of new users from Israel and the Palestinian Territories had signed up for the app two days after the attack, and that Telegram was adding support for Hebrew to its UI. It pointed out.
“During this tragic time, we must ensure that everyone affected has access to news and private communications,” he said at the time.
Durov’s behavior isn’t all that surprising. These are consistent with the company’s previous approach to sensitive content.
Part of Durov’s defense of Telegram has always been to distinguish between Telegram and social media apps.
āUnlike other apps that algorithmically promote shocking content to unsuspecting people, on Telegram users only receive content that they specifically subscribed to,ā he wrote. āAs such, Telegram channels are unlikely to be used to significantly amplify propaganda. Rather, they serve as a unique source of first-hand information for researchers, journalists, and fact-checkers.ā
The app has previously downplayed its use by violent individuals and groups, sparking a lot of controversy in the process. For example, it has become a go-to place for communication about the Ukraine war, but it has also become a breeding ground for misinformation, as detailed in this Verge article. Myanmar’s resistance may be using this tool, but as this CNN investigation shows, extremists supporting the current government are using it to target individuals as well. ing. And its controversial location as a go-to platform for recognized terrorist groups was well known. (Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel.)