Manipur Police arrested 13 people linked to Telegram channels selling explicit images and CSAM. The probe, codenamed 'Operation Dignity', highlights Telegram's struggle to moderate non-consensual content on its massive Indian user base. Its privacy-centric features are enabling a significant online criminal network in what is globally its largest market.
How We Got Here
India's IT Ministry has repeatedly warned Telegram since 2023 about losing safe harbour if it fails to remove CSAM. This ongoing pressure follows international scrutiny, including an Apple App Store takedown and an April 2026 Ofcom probe in the UK.
The Numbers
- India's 150 million users make it Telegram's largest market globally.
- Telegram claims 4.5 million CSAM-related groups and channels were removed in 2026.
- Its automated defenses check public images against hash databases, including those from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
- Ofcom in the UK launched a formal probe in April 2026 over Telegram's failure to deploy adequate CSAM prevention systems.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For women and children across India, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, unchecked platforms like Telegram pose significant risks of non-consensual content and abuse.
The Take
Telegram's E2E encryption in private chats fundamentally clashes with effective CSAM moderation, making its "zero-tolerance" policy performative. Expect India's IT Ministry to leverage its safe harbour powers aggressively, forcing Telegram to compromise on either privacy or market access.
Source:
MediaNama ↗