What is Telegram accused of?

Corinna Budras

Business correspondent in Berlin.

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In the past few months, the foreign messenger service Telegram has come more and more into the focus of discussion because, in addition to many normal users, conspiracy theorists, criminals and right-wing extremists also exchange ideas there.

You do this via direct messages, but also in public channels or chat groups that have more than a hundred thousand participants.

There people are repeatedly intimidated and insulted.

Murder intentions are also said to have been expressed against the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer.

According to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Telegram is also a very popular way of selling drugs.

What are the options for people to take action against threats and insults on Telegram?

Basically, users can proceed in two ways: First of all, they can sue the person who initiated the insults directly.

In this way, you can sue for failure to make a statement or claim compensation for pain and suffering.

However, if the person travels anonymously, as is so often the case, that doesn't help much.

A second way is to contact Telegram directly and request the deletion of posts in the public channels on the basis of the Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG).

Which measures are possible according to the NetzDG?

The law has been in force since October 1, 2017 and is intended to make it easier for users to take action against hatred and hate speech online. Before Telegram, this was also a problem with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The law introduced rules for a complaint procedure for the first time. If users report content that is obviously criminally relevant, such as insults, slander, sedition or threats, the social networks must delete or block this within 24 hours. If in doubt, the platforms have seven days. In addition, Facebook, Tiktok & Co have to publish a report on criminal content every six months. If there is no complaint management, fine proceedings are initiated. The fine can be up to 50 million euros. In the summer the NetzDG was tightened:From February onwards, the networks must report violations to the BKA independently.

Why do authorities fail to hold Telegram accountable?

According to the BKA, the company is very idiosyncratic when it comes to deletion requests.

Propaganda by Islamist terrorist groups such as the Islamic State or Al-Qaeda, for example, is often deleted without hesitation.

The inquiries are mostly made via Europol, and Telegram sometimes even acts on its own initiative.

In the case of right-wing extremist content, however, the company switches to enforcement - so far without any consequences.

The main problem here is that the service claims that it is based in Dubai.

Fine proceedings have been initiated against the company, but so far the authorities do not even know whether the hearing letter could be delivered at all.

Because for this, the responsible bodies in the United Arab Emirates must be involved.

What has to change?

Several starting points are currently being discussed. Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) finds that national solo efforts are not promising and referred to the European Union. A new set of rules is currently being worked on, the "Digital Services Act". Its aim is to combat hatred and agitation on the internet at the EU level. But it will take a while before it is in effect. What has so far been missing in both national and European law are measures aimed at companies such as Apple or Google. They are among the largest digital corporations in the world and their operating systems ensure that Telegram can be used as extensively as possible. The Telegram app can be downloaded from their app stores, so they have the most effective means of pressure.In an interview with Spiegel, Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Boris Pistorius reports how Apple Telegram banned Telegram for a short time in 2018. He would therefore like to invite these companies for a discussion "as quickly as possible". It would also be conceivable to use a particularly delicate sword: the Telegram website could be made inaccessible to users by blocking the network, so that an exchange would only be possible via detours. Critics fear that this may scare people off, to whom there is nothing wrong with Telegram. In addition, such network blocks are highly controversial because they are actually only used by totalitarian states as a means of censorship.to use a particularly delicate sword: the Telegram website could be made inaccessible to users by blocking the network, then an exchange would only be possible via detours. Critics fear that this may scare people off, to whom there is nothing wrong with Telegram. In addition, such network blocks are highly controversial because they are actually only used by totalitarian states as a means of censorship.to use a particularly delicate sword: the Telegram website could be made inaccessible to users by blocking the network, then an exchange would only be possible via detours. Critics fear that this may scare people off, to whom there is nothing wrong with Telegram. In addition, such network blocks are highly controversial because they are actually only used by totalitarian states as a means of censorship.