The benevolent version goes like this: Telegram gives its users a say. Millions of people in Germany can currently vote on whether and under what conditions the messenger should pass on data to security authorities. This is lived democracy, which no other social network dares to do in this form.
You can also see it differently. Telegram has been flouting German laws for years and ignoring legitimate requests from law enforcement agencies. Under the guise of data protection, the platform has become a playground for right-wing extremists, conspiracy ideologues and radical corona deniers. The fact that Telegram collects a picture of the mood as to whether one should comply with applicable law shows the hubris of the operators.
The reactions to a survey that Telegram sent on Tuesday range between these two poles. The aim is to find out “whether our German users support our current data protection declaration or whether they want to reduce or increase the number of cases in which Telegram can potentially pass on data to authorities.” Messenger is currently writing in its privacy policyIP addresses and telephone numbers of terror suspects are released to authorities, provided there is a valid court order.
This approach represents the first option up for voting. According to Telegram, everything would stay the same. The second option is similar to the first, with one crucial difference: a court order would no longer be necessary. Those who vote for the third option ask Telegram not to give out user data under any circumstances, regardless of the judicial system and the severity of the crime. It remains unclear whether Telegram no longer wants to save the relevant data – or whether it simply refuses to pass it on.
Platform for Nazis and extremists
In order to understand the explosiveness of the survey, you have to know the history. Telegram founder Pavel Durov represents a libertarian world view and wants to minimize the influence of states on its citizens. On the one hand, Telegram has established itself as an important communication channel for members of the opposition in countries such as Iran, Belarus and Syria. The Russian-born Durov also repeatedly opposed the Russian secret service FSB.
On the other hand, the attitude of denial plays into the hands of extremists. In Germany, Telegram is a central platform for Nazis and radical opponents of the Corona measures. It’s not just about private chats: Violence was openly called for in public channels, assassinations were planned in smaller groups.
For almost a year, the Federal Office of Justice tried in vain to reach the operators of the messenger. The new federal government sent letters to Dubai and threatened fines. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) set up a task force and flooded Telegram with deletion requests. Eventually, the operators responded. First of all, representatives of the interior and justice ministries met for the video switch, even Durow took part in a hooded sweatshirt. Shortly thereafter, individual channels were blocked and an e-mail address set up through which the BKA can report criminal content.
The majority don’t want to change anything
Around 24 hours after the poll began, 1.8 million people had voted. Four out of ten respondents are in favor of the first option: data transfer only with a court order. Half as many are in favor of Telegram cooperating with law enforcement authorities in the event of serious crimes, even without a court order. 36 percent would like Telegram not to give out any data at all, the rest abstain.
This is how Telegram queries the wishes of the users.
(Photo: Screenshot/Telegram)
So, so far, it looks like a narrow majority would like Telegram to keep the current practice. However, the difference between the first and the third option has narrowed over the course of the first day. Voting runs until Monday 5 September. Telegram leaves open whether it feels bound by the result of the survey. However, some formulations indicate: “If this option is supported, Telegram will change its data structure and the data protection declaration for users from Germany,” says the third option, for example. That doesn’t sound like Telegram just wants to get a non-binding mood picture.
Telegram conceals data transfer
On closer inspection, the survey reveals ambiguities and contradictions. The first and third options talk about terrorism, the second is about serious crimes. Allegedly, Telegram has so far only released data from terrorist suspects. The company also writes on his website: “To date, we have shared 0 bytes of user data with third parties, including all governments.”
Both statements are wrong. at the beginning of June reported the mirror, Telegram has released user data to German investigators in several cases. It was about suspected terrorists and people who are said to have abused children. The data protection declaration still only mentions terrorist suspects. So far, information has never been shared with authorities, it says. Also the semi-annually published transparency report is silent about it.