Recently, a Moscow court fined the well-known social media platform Telegram 7 million Russian rubles (approximately $80,000) for failing to delete content related to terrorism and anti-government protests as required. The court found that Telegram did not comply with Russian laws on combating extremism and preventing terrorist activities in terms of information management.
According to reports by Russia's TASS agency, the channels involved contained statements encouraging the overthrow of the government, sabotage of railway transport infrastructure, and public support for the Ukrainian military. These contents were considered by Russian authorities as "calls for terrorist acts" and dangerous information. The court pointed out that Telegram did not block or clear these channels within a reasonable period, constituting a violation of the law.
Telegram, founded by Russian-born tech entrepreneur Pavel Durov and headquartered in Dubai, UAE, still has a broad user base in Russia, Ukraine, and other CIS countries, serving as an important channel for information dissemination and social interaction locally.
As of now, Telegram has not yet made a public response to this judgment. However, this incident highlights the increasing regulatory pressure the platform is facing from the Russian government, especially regarding content censorship on sensitive issues such as war, protests, and national security.
It is worth mentioning that Durov himself has also been in the spotlight recently. According to reports, during a brief stay in France, he was investigated by local authorities for allegations of Telegram being used for scams, money laundering, and spreading illegal content. In March this year, he returned to Dubai to continue his business operations.
This fine has once again sparked discussions about the responsibilities and regulatory boundaries of tech platforms. As Telegram's global influence continues to grow, how it balances freedom of information with compliance requirements will be an unavoidable key issue in its future development.
