Belgian watchdog checking Telegram for EU anti-terror compliance
Messaging app Telegram is being scrutinised by the Belgian telecoms regulator to check whether the platform complies with EU rules combatting terrorist content online.
The Belgian Institute of Post and Telecommunications (BIPT) said in its annual report published last week that it received notification of 454 cross-border injunctions last year, all related to content provided through the hosting services of Telegram.
'Given the large number of Telegram users and the number of injunctions issued against Telegram, BIPT conducted an in-depth investigation into Telegram's compliance with the obligations of the Terrorist Content Online (TCO) Regulation in 2024,' the report said, adding that the regulator will continue this exercise in 2025 and extend its control to the other hosting service providers that fall under its jurisdiction.
BIPT plans to designate hosting service providers as "exposed to terrorist content online" this year, the report said.
Telegram is established as a company in the British Virgin Islands but set up its legal representative for the EU in Brussels, meaning that BIPT oversees the platforms' compliance.
The TCO rules entered into force in June 2022 and oblige Hosting Service Providers to remove terrorist content online within one hour after receiving a removal order from a member state's national authority. In case of non-compliance, BIPT could impose a financial penalty amounting to 4% of the provider's worldwide turnover.
Telegram has been banned by several governments worldwide, following cases of spreading disinformation and enabling extremism. In the UK for example, the app was used to plan and coordinate anti-immigrant riots last August.
Last year, its co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov was detained near Paris over an investigation into alleged offences related to the messaging app, such as organised crime and drug trafficking.
Digital Services Act
BIPT is also overseeing Telegram's compliance with the EU's online platform rules, the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Telegram claims it has 41 million monthly average users in the EU which is below the threshold of 45 million per month required to be qualified as a Very Large Online Platform (VLOP) and be checked by the European Commission.
BIPT said it received some 10 complaints related to possible breaches of the DSA, 'the majority concerned Telegram.' It worked together with authorities in the Netherlands and Estonia to resolve the issues, the report said.
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