Global messaging app Telegram is taking measures to block terror related channels on its platform.
The action comes after the Indonesian government blocked access to some of its content, and announced that it will ban the messaging app if it does not extend protocols to get rid of public channels that encourage terrorism and radicalisation.
The Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced on its website on Friday: “This has to be done because there are many channels on this service that are full of radical and terrorist propaganda, hatred, ways to make bombs, how to carry out attacks, disturbing images, which are all in conflict with Indonesian law,”
To overcome the challenges in restricting terrorism related content, the company is taking immediate measures including working with the government to block all channels reported to contain terror related content. The company is also setting up a team of moderators who are fluent in the Indonesian language to process and flag any illegal content related to radicalisation, aiming to eradicate these channels promptly.
Government security officials have warned that because the feature allows people to connect globally, and users can broadcast personal channels to a number of users without any limit, it provides terrorists with an opportunity to freely upload illegal content.
Telegram messenger works to provide users with encryption services, and provides instant messaging to several other members globally through data centers.
On Sunday, Co-Founder, Pavel Durov said in a statement that his firm has now removed all terrorist-related public channels which the government has warned them about.
Releasing a statement to the Wall street journal he said: “Telegram is heavily encrypted and privacy-oriented, but we’re no friends of terrorists – in fact, every month we block thousands of ISIS-related public channels.”
