Arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov The messaging platform has been in the news for its misuse for illegal activities. In India, Telegram has become the “dark web lite”. It essentially enables any activity that the law does not allow – from scams, pornography and the sale of stolen data to being a tool for terrorist propaganda.

India Today recently reported how Telegram was being misused “rape videos“The murder of a young doctor from Kolkata has sparked massive protests across the country.

Telegram has become the preferred platform of anti-India terrorist organisations such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates, the Resistance Front and the People’s Anti-Fascist Front. The terrorists regularly list their targets, post gruesome videos of attacks on the Indian armed forces and publish propaganda on their Telegram channels.

The distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or child pornography on Telegram is so high that the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) had to issue a notice to it in 2023.

What makes Telegram a picnic spot for cybercriminals is that it is easy to remain anonymous. It allows users to create an account without any authentic SIM card by purchasing a blockchain-based anonymous number from Fragment, a decentralized platform created by the founder of Telegram.

Its “secret chat” function has baffled authorities around the world. When this mode is turned on, Telegram does not store logs between two users – which means there is no way for law enforcement to trace conversations between two suspects.

After arresting Durov, French authorities said that Telegram’s lack of moderation and lack of cooperation with law enforcement has made it an accomplice in drug trafficking, child crime, and fraud, local French outlets reported. TF1,

The telegram argued He should not be held liable for misuse of the messenger.

A haven for cyber criminals

Telegram is a major means of communication for cybercriminals, with hackers using it to coordinate Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, share hacking tools, and sell stolen data.

Tools used in hacking attempts such as malware programs and phishing codes are widely circulated and shared on Telegram. Such activities are further aided by Telegram bots that provide information and malicious codes on demand to any user.

It is also a haven for financial scammers who carry out gambling, phishing attacks and other types of fraud. Illegal services such as gaining unauthorized access to email accounts, a variety of websites including Netflix and Amazon Prime, and logs of banks and PayPal are used in various types of cyber crimes.

Additionally, extremist groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda are using Telegram to recruit, raise funds, and coordinate activities, as mainstream platforms crack down on extremism.

The platform was banned in Russia for nearly two years for refusing to share encryption keys, but resumed operations in 2020 after agreeing to assist in extremism investigations.