Telegram Founder Arrested: A Shift in the Fight Against Piracy

In August, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France and later charged with complicity in crimes allegedly conducted on Telegram. The platform's failure to cooperate with French authorities seemed to play a significant role in the charges. Durov was eventually released on bail, assuring that Telegram would improve its practices. Interestingly, reports from France indicate that broadcasters of live sports are already noticing enhancements in the fight against piracy.

The Arrest and Charges

When news broke in August about Durov's arrest after his private plane landed in France, speculation about the reasons behind it was rampant. After a few days of rumors, French authorities clarified that Durov was charged with criminal offenses related to his role at Telegram, citing the platform’s “near-total absence” of cooperation with them.

Initially optimistic, Durov later adopted a more conciliatory tone, stating that Telegram staff had deployed AI tools to eliminate problematic content.

Telegram's Commitment to Compliance

In response to the legal challenges, Telegram updated its terms of service and privacy policy, clarifying that it would comply with valid legal requests by sharing the personal details of alleged infringers, including IP addresses and phone numbers.

“We won’t let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform of almost a billion users,” Durov stated.

Although Telegram has a history of not meeting rightsholders' standards, the platform has blocked several piracy-related channels in recent years. For instance, a court in India ordered Telegram to hand over user information to identify alleged infringers, and the platform eventually complied after initial delays.

Improvements in Takedown Speed

Following Durov's assurances, reports emerged that some pirates, who once viewed Telegram as a secure refuge, are now feeling the pressure. Hervé Lemaire, CEO of anti-piracy firm LeakID, mentioned in an interview with Le Figaro that the response time for takedowns has improved significantly.

“We noticed that Telegram closed illicit streams more quickly, in 10, 15, 20 minutes, whereas this was not the case before,” Lemaire explained.

Similar changes were observed at beIN Sports, a company that frequently suffers from content piracy. Sarah d’Arifat, legal director at beIN Sports, confirmed, “We have indeed seen a significant drop in streams of pirated content on Telegram in recent days.”

Organized Crime on Telegram

The Association for the Protection of Sports Programs (APPS) includes several major rightsholders among its members, such as Canal+, beIN Sports, and the Professional Football League (LFP). In an interview, APPS president Xavier Spender described IPTV providers and illegal streamers on Telegram as organized criminals.

“What you have to keep in mind is that today the players on these platforms are real mafia groups,” Spender noted.

Mixed Reactions from Rightsholders

Spender mentioned that Telegram's announcement regarding increased moderation and collaboration with French authorities is a step in the right direction but not enough. The LFP expressed cautious optimism, stating:

“Telegram’s initial efforts are interesting but not sufficient.”

While some progress has been made, the LFP indicated that takedown times still vary significantly, often extending to several hours, which is not ideal for protecting live content.

Hervé Lemaire from LeakID suggested waiting to see how Telegram manages larger events before drawing any firm conclusions. He cautioned that if Telegram becomes less favorable for pirates, they will simply move to other platforms.

“All platforms must play the game. Telegram is a step. But it is not the end of the war.”