Telegram gives user data to anti-free speech German police

Telegram, a messaging application known for its dedication to user data privacy, has just handed over that very data to the anti-free speech, authoritarian German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA.)

While this particular data pertains to users suspected of terrorism and child abuse crimes, this deviation from previous policy of never handing out data to any third party or government may be the beginning of a slippery slope.

Telegram’s website states that “to this day, we have disclosed 0 bytes of user data to third parties, including governments.” Clearly, this is no longer the case. And even if in this particular case there may have been, in some individuals’ opinions, good reason to disclose user data, it sets a poor precedent. What crimes will constitute release of data next?

Between the January 6th Committee’s draconian and unconstitutional actions, and the thought police that many western nations such as Germany and the UK have, there are countless so-called “crimes” which do not warrant an invasion of privacy.

Additionally, many find it concerning for a company to be compelled by a foreign nation to give user data from any country up.

And this concern is echoed.

From the Epoch Times:

“Thanks to this structure, we can ensure that no single government or block of like-minded countries can intrude on people’s privacy and freedom of expression,” the company claims.

However, its recent German handover dents this narrative, raising the possibility that Telegram can be forced by other governments as well to submit private data.

Telegram was often scene as an excellent way of organizing protests and anti-government thought, given how Facebook and others more willingly hand over data to law enforcement. and other government entities.

Many protests in Germany used Telegram. Now, however, it may become just as much of a liability as Facebook.