Telegram’s feature changes, tighter moderation rules aim to combat illegal content

The news: Telegram changed several platform rules following CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest.

  • Users can now report illegal content, a departure from Telegram’s prior policy that any content in private chats couldn’t be flagged or reviewed.
  • Telegram removed its People Nearby feature—which let users find, message, and make payments to other users in their area—and plans to replace it with a Businesses Nearby tool that only accepts payments for “legitimate, verified” companies.