Telegram Handed Over User Data to U.S. Authorities

Telegram provided U.S. authorities with data on over 2,200 users last year, according to 404 Media.

Between January 1 and September 30, 2024, Telegram complied with 14 requests from U.S. authorities for IP addresses and/or phone numbers, affecting 108 users. However, over the entire year, the platform fulfilled 900 requests, impacting a total of 2,253 users—a sharp increase in the final quarter of 2024, when Pavel Durov was detained in France.

A month after Durov’s detention, Telegram updated its privacy policy, stating that it is now willing to provide personal user data if ordered by a court.

The U.S. wasn’t the only country ramping up requests in 2024. Authorities in India (14,641 requests), Spain (213), Belgium (223), and Brazil (302) also sought Telegram user data.

However, Telegram did not comply with requests from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, China, Indonesia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand, or Turkey.