438
submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by JustMarkov@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

Search on Telegram is more powerful than in other messaging apps because it allows users to find public channels and bots. Unfortunately, this feature has been abused by people who violated our Terms of Service to sell illegal goods.

To further deter criminals from abusing Telegram Search, we have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent across the world. We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] BriarTalker@lemmy.ml 1 points 16 hours ago

Slashdot has a comparison of a few alternatives. My preference is Briar as my user name would indicate!

[-] tacosplease@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago

Shout out to right wing nuts for rushing to Telegram early on - keeping me from ever using it.

[-] fl42v@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 days ago

It's not like they exactly didn't before: https://www.androidpolice.com/telegram-germany-user-data-surrendered/

Also, nothing said about whether they're going to start making transparency reports, not that I've expected anything else from this crapshow of a messenger...

[-] Petter1@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago

we have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent across the world.

They never told they didn’t

[-] fl42v@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

They've explicitly told in there FAQ 0 bytes of info was disclosed. And I suspect whatever they've shared with Germans alone wasn't 7 bits long.

[-] Petter1@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago

FAQ =/= TOS

In FAQ, you aren’t punished if you tell BS there, at least as I understand it.

They made it now more clear, what exactly mean by 0 byte:

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 5 points 2 days ago

"Protecting the children" is always code for "We're manufacturing consent to fuck you over."

[-] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 8 points 2 days ago

Good thing I never used telegram.

[-] dingdongitsabear@lemmy.ml 46 points 3 days ago

any way to read this without a telegram account?

[-] JustMarkov@lemmy.ml 45 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Sorry, should've provided the whole post:

Spoiler

🔎 Search on Telegram is more powerful than in other messaging apps because it allows users to find public channels and bots. Unfortunately, this feature has been abused by people who violated our Terms of Service to sell illegal goods.
💪 Over the last few weeks, a dedicated team of moderators, leveraging AI, has made Telegram Search much safer. All the problematic content we identified in Search is no longer accessible. If you still manage to find something unsafe or illegal in Telegram Search, please report it to us via @SearchReport.
🚫 To further deter criminals from abusing Telegram Search, we have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent across the world. We’ve made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.
☝️ These measures should discourage criminals. Telegram Search is meant for finding friends and discovering news, not for promoting illegal goods. We won't let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users.

[-] datavoid@lemmy.ml 30 points 3 days ago

👀 Was this written by AI, or was it a person trying to be as annoying with their emojis as possible?

[-] NekomimiNebula@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 days ago

Looks like your post was written by AI so given your emoji use 😉

[-] datavoid@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 days ago

Ya that was the commentary on how shitty the icons were

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 31 points 3 days ago

Honestly that isn't bad. They were knowingly protecting people who target children.

Privacy should be enforced on a technical level with zero knowledge

[-] HawlSera@lemm.ee 5 points 2 days ago

"Protecting the children" is always the excuse for fascism, pay attention.

[-] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 days ago

It has nothing to do with fascism. Fascism is what left leaning politicians call people they don't agree with. On the right they call people they don't like communists.

Outside of that mini rant I disagree with the idea that Telegram is a force for good. Telegram doesn't use e2ee and has questionable ties. They let people in public group chats post CSAM and other child abuse related stuff. If you look up telegram in the news it is constantly the platform used by criminals. It isn't private and it sure isn't anonymous. There are many better alternatives that don't actively support human trafficking and such. Its not like Telegram has zero knowledge of what happens. They knowingly allowed people to exploit children and then to go around bragging and plotting to harm others.

This isn't some attack on freedom or privacy. Telegram is frankly a risk to all. If you want encrypted messaging there are many other platforms that are way less sketchy.

load more comments (6 replies)
[-] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 48 points 3 days ago

They can take down the child weirdos and human traffickers

Take down my rom emulation hosted ZIPs and we'll fucking riot

[-] arefx@lemmy.ml 12 points 3 days ago

Well it's only a matter of time

They took down a z- library post It's over

[-] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 3 points 2 days ago

the libgen channel was practically eliminated in the last week

[-] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 18 points 4 days ago
[-] ParetoOptimalDev@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

https://simplex.chat/

The first messenger without user IDs

Other apps have user IDs: Signal, Matrix, Session, Briar, Jami, Cwtch, etc. SimpleX does not, not even random numbers. This radically improves your privacy. Why user IDs are bad for privacy? How does SimpleX work? Security assessment

[-] communism@lemmy.ml 56 points 3 days ago

For private messaging? Signal was always better. The way I use Telegram, and the way Telegram should be used, is like another public social media. I use it for following channels that give news about things I'm interested in.

[-] erenkoylu@lemmy.ml 11 points 3 days ago

Signal was always better

I love the premise of Signal, but there are too many red flags. Some of my issues are:

  • Hostility against 3rd party clients
  • US-based legal entity
  • Too much tied with Google libs on android
  • No official Fdroid support
  • Open source claims are undermined by code blackouts from time to time.
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] davel@lemmy.ml 27 points 3 days ago
[-] JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world 26 points 3 days ago

All completely irrelevant to most people. Nobody they know is on those platforms.

There are only two alternatives to the Big Tech messengers that are anywhere near critical mass: Signal and the shady one we're talking about here.

Though I would love Matrix to go mainstream.

load more comments (13 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] Samsy@lemmy.ml 23 points 3 days ago

For the illegal goods? Sir this is privacy not piracy.

[-] Mango@lemmy.world 36 points 3 days ago

You really gonna come in here with a "want privacy? Must be because you're a criminal."? Get the fuck out.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] borari@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 3 days ago

The illegal goods on telegram aren’t piracy related.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] Drun@lemmy.ml 18 points 3 days ago

Element 2.0 or Signal is only worth ones, I think.

But to be honest - it's only IP and phone number. If you have concerns about possibility of such request about your persona, you always can buy Telegram's anonymous phone number / fake telephone number / use VPN to login.

[-] troed@fedia.io 11 points 3 days ago

Just clarifying for the ones who don't know: Element is a Matrix client.

load more comments (7 replies)
[-] delirious_owl 5 points 3 days ago

Wire. Fully encrypted, easily anonymous because no phone number needed

load more comments (7 replies)
load more comments (25 replies)
load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2024
438 points (98.9% liked)

Privacy

31355 readers
1455 users here now

A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

Some Rules

Related communities

Chat rooms

much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)

founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS