Telegram will reveal data of terrorist suspects if there is a judicial ruling

They will reveal IP address and phone number, never conversations | The courier service is prohibited in Russia

The Telegram messaging service , banned in Russia, was today prepared to reveal to the secret services the data of terrorist suspects if there is a judicial decision involved. "If Telegram receives a court decision confirming that you are suspected of terrorism , then we can make your IP address and telephone number public. So far that has not happened, "the company announced in a statement on its revised privacy policy.

The Russian Justice ordered last April the closure of Telegram, after the courier service will refuse to deliver to the Federal Security Service (FSB, former KGB) the encryption codes of the messages of its users, as required a Russian law passed almost two years ago. Telegram added that it will not provide the authorities with the keys to decode communications among its users, another of the demands of the FSB. «We are not talking about communications, something that is important. We talk about providing information about the IP address and phones.

The communications continue as they were, they are inviolable . We will not disclose any key or any communication, not even individually, "explained Pável Chíkov, a lawyer for the company.

Chikov stressed that the decision to collaborate with the authorities in case of a judicial decision is not a "concession" to the authorities, but an attempt to find a balance between the new policy of confidentiality of private communications and the interests of national security .

In his opinion, the decision is the result of "a year of antagonism between Telegram and the authorities" , and the new confidentiality policy "will facilitate the work of security bodies when identifying the user, their personal data."

The resistance continues

The founder of Telegram, Pável Durov, exiled in the United Kingdom, declared for his part that the company's new measures do not affect Russia, due to the service's blockade, but only respond to changes in current legislation in the Union. European Union on the protection of personal data. In addition, he denied that he hopes that thanks to these changes the Russian authorities will unblock the courier service, for two reasons.

"One, in Russia, the Telegram does not require the number and IP of terrorists by judicial decision, but something completely different: access to communications of all users," he explained in a message posted on the website of the independent radio. Echo of Moscow ', «and two, Telegram in Russia is outlawed; Hundreds of IP addresses are blocked every day in attempts to cut off access to the server. In view of this, we do not accept any kind of requests from Russian services, and our confidentiality policy is not extended to Russia, "he added.

"Therefore, our resistance continues," concluded Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after denouncing pressures from the security services to reveal information about opposition groups using the social network VKontakte, the Russian counterpart of Facebook, developed by him in 2006, and in 2013 he created the Telegram.

For its part, the Russian media regulator, Roskomnadzor, said the service will remain blocked until the FSB - which denounces that this channel is used by terrorists to coordinate attacks - does not decide otherwise.

Russian legislation obliges courier service providers to disclose, at the authorities 'request, the keys to decode their users' communications, in addition to storing their messages.

Despite pressures, Durov has insisted in recent months that Telegram will continue to seek a way to avoid the government blockade that, in fact, has not prevented the service from functioning.