Telegram received a message from Apple demanding to block certain channels for users from Ukraine. The messenger team agreed to fulfill them.
The founder of Telegram, Pavlo Durov, recalled that he proposed to restrict Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, justifying it by the fact that “military propaganda” was being spread. This was ultimately not done, according to Durov, because of the position of the users. However, now the company can limit the access of users from Ukraine to certain channels (which are not specified) in connection with Apple's requirements.
“We receive official letters from Apple, which indicate that certain changes here cannot be avoided, at least for users who access Telegram on iPhone from Ukrainian SIM cards. … In order to remain available to its users, Telegram must consider requests that come from the App Store. If it were entirely up to us, we would always give our users what they ask for: uncensored access to information and opinions so they can make their own decisions. However, it does not always depend on us,” Durov claims.
Earlier it became known that the Telegram company received a list of potentially problematic channels from the Ukrainian authorities and is studying them. The Center for Combating Disinformation noted that Ukraine has the ability to influence Telegram founder Pavel Durov to limit the operation of specific channels on the territory of Ukraine.
Telegram ban in Ukraine – what is known
The discussion about the risks of using a messenger with Russian roots is not the first year. The problem gained publicity after last year's statements by ex-Secretary of the National Security Council Oleksiy Danilov, who called the messenger “very dangerous and vulnerable”. The GUR also talked about the danger. Intelligence representative Andriy noted that Telegram “has a whole series of threats to information and not only information security in our country.” The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov also stated that the Telegram messenger is a problem for Ukraine in terms of national security. According to him, Telegram often has a destructive effect within the country. The SBU noted that the Telegram messenger cooperates with Roskomnadzor and the FSB, following instructions on channel blocking.
In March 2024, a bill was registered in the Verkhovna Rada, which, in particular, proposed to introduce regulation of the Telegram platform.