Pavel Durov’s Telegram rolls out third-party account verification, filters

Telegram has launched its first major update of the year, introducing a third-party account verification system alongside new message search filters and the option to turn gifts into NFTs. The move is part of the platform’s effort to enhance safety and address longstanding criticisms of its content moderation practices.

Previously, the messaging app’s verification program focused on public figures and organizations. The new system allows already-verified third-party entities, such as regulatory agencies or industry consortiums, to authenticate accounts. These accounts will display a unique logo instead of Telegram’s traditional blue checkmark.

“This decentralized platform for additional verification will help prevent scams and reduce misinformation, with a unique proactive solution that sets a new safety standard for social platforms,” the social media app said in a blog post.

Telegram unveils third-party verification system for verifiers

According to Telegram’s recent press release, third-party verifiers must first have their bots verified by the company to participate. Once approved, they can assign verification to other accounts using Telegram’s Bot API. 

Verified entities will display the organization’s logo next to their profile names. This functionality mirrors verification programs on platforms like X, where affiliated accounts are marked with the organization’s branding.

The social media company also laid out a procedure for entities seeking to become third-party verifiers on its platform. To begin, organizations must first have their official bots verified by the social media company. Once verified, the organization can submit an application to Telegram to gain the ability to authenticate other accounts.

After approval, verifiers can use Telegram’s Bot API to assign or remove verification. The process further requires entities to access their bot profile, where they can select accounts and chats to verify. Verified accounts will display the organization’s unique logo next to their names to make it clear they have been authenticated.

The recent update comes after the platform’s CEO Pavel Durov announced a renewed commitment to tackling criticisms over the platform’s content moderation policies. Writing to his 12.2 million subscribers, he emphasized the importance of addressing illegal activities on the platform.

“While 99.999% of Telegram users have nothing to do with crime, the 0.001% involved in illicit activities create a bad image for the entire platform, putting the interests of our almost billion users at risk,” Durov stated.

Durov’s response to legal challenges involving Telegram

Durov is currently facing several legal charges in France, where prosecutors allege the messaging app has been used for crimes such as fraud, money laundering, and the dissemination of child sexual abuse material. The Russian-born entrepreneur denied the allegations, asserting that Telegram actively removes millions of harmful posts and channels daily.

The Telegram boss criticized French authorities for their handling of the investigation, noting that neither he nor Telegram’s EU representatives had been contacted about the concerns.

“Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach,” He wrote. “Building technology is hard enough as it is. No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.”

Paris prosecutors charged the entrepreneur with several crimes related to the investigation, including complicity in administering an online platform used for illicit transactions and complicity in offenses involving child sexual abuse material.

Despite the charges, Durov maintains that the telecom app is committed to improving its moderation practices. “The claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue,” he wrote, adding that the platform’s moderation efforts are designed to protect its nearly one billion users.

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