Child pornography widely shared on Telegram: report

An alarming amount of child pornography is easily available on encrypted messaging service Telegram, De Telegraaf reports. The Dutch authorities are virtually powerless against it, the Child Pornography Hotline told the newspaper.

The Telegraaf investigated after receiving an anonymous tip about a fast-growing group on Telegram whose members share child pornography. The newspaper found it to be true and that the group was growing by about 60 members per day.

The tipster said it previously reported the Telegram group to the Child Pornography Hotline. The hotline responded that they’ve “sent Telegram a removal request and reported the group to our police contacts.” But nothing further happened, and the group is still active and growing.

The Hotline told the Telegraaf that Telegram never cooperates when it asks it to take a group down. “They don’t monitor what happens in groups. And when we make reports, they rarely do anything with it.” According to the Child Pornography Hotline, the police and Inhope, the hotline’s umbrella organization, have no more luck getting through to the messaging service.

The Online Terrorist and Child Pornographic Material Authority (ATKM) confirmed this to the newspaper. “They rarely respond to anything,” chairman Arda Gerkens said. “The images distributed via Telegram do not have URLs and, therefore, cannot be traced back. All you can do is ask Telegram to remove the material. But that is rarely heard.”

A European directive currently in the process of implementation, the Digital Services Act, will make it easier for authorities to access Telegram. But until then, there is little else the Netherlands can do, Gerkens said.

The Telegraaf asked Telegram to comment but received no response.