The Federal Office of Justice (BfJ) has issued two fines against Telegram FZ-LLC because the company violated the requirements of the Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) ​​in 2021 and 2022. In total, the BfJ imposed fines totaling 5.125 million euros.

Federal Office of Justice issues fines against the social network Telegram.

Telegram FZ-LLC, as the provider of the social network Telegram (hereinafter: Telegram), is accused of violating the obligation to provide legally compliant reporting channels and the obligation to name a domestic authorized delivery agent.

The NetzDG obliges social network providers to provide reporting channels on their platforms so that users can report posts with criminal content to the providers for review in accordance with the requirements of the NetzDG.

Furthermore, the providers are obliged to name a person or institution authorized to receive service with an address in Germany so that German courts and authorities can serve documents with legally binding effect domestically to the providers.

The BfJ punished the violation of the obligation to provide legally compliant reporting channels with a fine of 4.25 million euros. The BfJ imposed a fine of 875 thousand euros for failing to name a domestic authorized recipient.

The BfJ had previously tried several times since April 2021 to deliver hearing letters to Telegram's headquarters in Dubai. Despite support from the responsible authorities in the United Arab Emirates through international legal assistance, this was not successful. In March 2022, the BfJ therefore arranged for both hearing letters to be published publicly in the Federal Gazette. A German law firm then reported Telegram's interests to the BfJ and commented on the hearing letters. The statement could not refute the allegations, so the BfJ now issued the two fine notices, which were delivered to Telegram on October 10, 2022.

The fine notices are not yet legally binding. Telegram can lodge an objection with the BfJ. If the BfJ does not resolve an objection, it will send the relevant files via the public prosecutor's office to the responsible district court in Bonn for a judicial decision.

source

Press release from the German Federal Office of Justice

Also read: Telegram passes on user data to German security authorities


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