Telegram preserves your privacy? False, the police can get your phone number and IP

The Dutch police may request user data from Telegram in the event of an imminent threat, thus calling into question the waterproof side of the famous email.

After the controversy (finally quickly extinguished) over VPNs in France, that of Telegram arises in the Netherlands. Because the end justifies the means, and as part of the fight against threats to public security, the Dutch police can now request information such as IP addresses and telephone numbers from users of the Telegram messaging service.

The information was relayed by the Batavian radio BNR, which was able to consult documents obtained thanks to the local system for citizens’ access to government information (Open Government Act). This new capacity of the authorities raises questions about the real protection of users’ privacy.

Telegram goes back to its fundamentals

Contrary to what Telegram announces in its privacy policy, the instant messaging platform can share its data with Dutch authorities if an immediate threat to a person’s life is identified, without requiring a court order. Until now, Telegram said it would only share such information if a court ruling declared a user a terrorism suspect, a situation that has not yet occurred.

The revelation comes after Telegram was embroiled in a similar controversy in Germany last year, where the company shared user data with German police, including in cases of child abuse and terrorism. The application teams then asked German users for their opinions on the circumstances in which they should cooperate with the authorities.

The Dutch police now have the possibility of carrying out so-called ” urgent disclosure requests » to Telegram users in the event of an imminent threat to life. An option that was not clearly mentioned on the messaging platform’s website.

The fear of abuse

It remains unclear how often such requests might come from the police. Dutch police spokesperson Luna van Heerwaarden said that “ we just don’t follow that », highlighting the amount of data collected daily by law enforcement. Last year, German police made similar requests in 230 cases.

Telegram granted this request 60 times, and the messaging service ended up transferring the data in its possession in 25 of these cases. These were mainly users suspected of child abuse or terrorism.

This revelation in any case highlights the growing challenges of protecting privacy in an increasingly monitored digital environment, where messaging applications have become a playground for authorities and companies in search of sensitive data. . And above all, the fear of abuse for minor or futile operations should only be greater, at a time when social media are increasingly regulated.

Sources: BNR, Security.nl