Ministry confirms for the first time: Telegram gives user data to German security authorities!
For the first time, the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) has confirmed that the messaging service Telegram has transmitted user data to German investigative authorities. According to research by NDR, this happened in 25 cases. Content was deleted in almost 400 cases.
Previously, Telegram had publicly advertised that it would not pass on “one byte” of user data to governments or investigative authorities. Telegram is therefore used by criminals, terrorist suspects and opposition activists worldwide - with the confidence that their data is safe there. German authorities have been observing hate comments on the platform for some time, as well as violent fantasies and suspected planning of terrorist attacks on politicians.
The BMI has now confirmed for the first time that Telegram passed on user data to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).
The ministry explained to the research format STRG_F (NDR/funk) that there were a few “highlighted individual cases” in which inventory data, such as IP addresses of users, were handed over by Telegram. Research by STRG_F has shown that the Federal Criminal Police Office sent 202 inventory data requests to Telegram. The messenger service answered 64 of these - and in 25 cases transmitted user data to the BKA. Apparently this happened in cases of child abuse and Islamic terrorism. In addition, Telegram has complied with several hundred deletion requests.
For over a year, the Dubai-based company had not responded to the federal government's attempts to contact it.
At the beginning of 2021, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser threatened to approach Google and Apple to insist that Telegram be removed from the app stores. Without the app stores, Telegram's business basis would be destroyed. In February there was a video call for the first time between high-ranking representatives of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Telegram. Company founder and sole owner Pavel Durov is also said to have been there, those involved told STRG_F. Since then there has been a channel of communication between the company and the federal government. The user data was now also transmitted via this channel.
Telegram always tries to give a different impression publicly. Telegram founder and company boss Pavel Durov describes himself as a “global citizen” who rejects borders and the idea of nation states. He is only obliged to his users. Just in the middle of last week, Telegram asked its users in a survey whether the messenger service should pass on user data to German investigators. Users narrowly decided that user data should be passed on with a court order in the case of serious crimes (39 percent). 37 percent spoke out against any disclosure. 20 percent didn't care.
But this survey seems to be pure PR, “because Telegram is already passing on such data,” said Konstantin von Notz, network politician and deputy parliamentary group leader of Alliance 90/The Greens, to STRG_F. And further: “The company deliberately suggests that there is no cooperation with government agencies. This is demonstrably false.”
The BMI also reacted with surprise to the survey. A spokeswoman explains to STRG_F: “It gives the impression that Telegram users are allowed to decide how Telegram should deal with official data requests. It is clear that the legal situation applies and must be adhered to.”
The CSU digital politician Hansjörg Durz, in turn, warned that the federal government had a responsibility “ not to be satisfied with the company’s salami tactics. “It must push for full enforcement of German law.”
Telegram left several interview requests from NDR unanswered!
Exclusive: How Telegram shares data | CTRL_F
The Telegram messenger makes a big promise: your user data is safe. According to its own information, Telegram does not cooperate with anyone - especially not with governments and security authorities. That's why the messenger is particularly popular with members of the opposition, but also with terrorists and drug traffickers.
Until now, little was known about one of the most popular messengers in the world with 700 million users. The founder Pavel Durov has gone into hiding - only communicates via his own Telegram channel and Instagram. His company is like a black box. There is only a letterbox company hidden behind the address.
CTRL_F Reporters Nino and Milan, talk to confidants, travel to Dubai and find the secret office. In addition, STRG_F's research makes it clear: Telegram does cooperate with the federal government.
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A film by Milan Panek & Nino Seidel
Editorial collaboration: Annette Kammerer, Jan Vollmer
Reporter in Russia: Demian von Osten
Camera: Nino Seidel, Henning Wirtz, Milan Panek, Alexander Zehrer, Zhenya Rudniy
Editor: Lutz Ackermann
Source: NDR
Also read:
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Flood of reports: This is how the BKA wants to get Telegram to cooperate
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )