One of India’s most downloaded cloud-based messaging apps, Telegram, may be in trouble in India. The platform is facing scrutiny from the Indian government over its alleged role in facilitating criminal activities like gambling and extortion. The probe may result in a ban on the app in the region.
No Telegram isn’t banned in India, but here’s what’s happening
As per a report by Moneycontrol, the government of India is investigating Telegram over its alleged misuse in criminal activities. An unnamed government official revealed this information and said that the app may get banned in India, depending on the findings of the probe.
Telegram is claimed to be a private and encrypted application, making it easier to conduct illicit activities. It has been infamous for being a hub for such activities, however, it says that it is compliant with the laws. Back in 2023, the IT ministry issued notices to Telegram, alongside other platforms, directing them to remove child sexual abuse material from the platform.
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Now, it’s about gambling and extortion. This news comes a day after Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France for the reason that the platform was used for conducting a range of activities like drug trafficking, fraud, cyberbullying and organised, including promoting terrorism. So it’s a double whammy for Telegram this time.
While it’s not confirmed, India’s probe could be linked to Durov’s arrest in France. However, India’s investigation, which is reportedly being conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is only for gambling and extortion.
The government official said that Telegram’s violations are not related to Information Technology (IT) Rules. In fact, the platform is compliant with the IT rules, said the official. However, the IT rules require platforms like Telegram to appoint a nodal officer and a chief compliance official to publish monthly compliance reports. However, since Telegram has a limited physical presence, it’s difficult to deal with the firm.
Since there’s no official confirmation, we can’t say for sure if the app will be banned in India. But the probability of that happening can’t be denied. We’ll have to wait and see how the situation unfolds.
Until then, if you are worried that the app will be banned, you can try some of its alternatives like Signal, Mattermost, Brosix, and WhatsApp.
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