Telegram in 2025: Innovations between freedom and legal pressure

Telegram, one of the most popular messaging platforms, known for its pioneering approach to privacy and innovation, has started 2025 with a series of updates aimed at ensuring the company’s continuity in the face of attacks and harmful interests.

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hese measures, which include a new account verification system and the introduction of Web3-related features, come at a critical time for the platform, marked by increasing legal pressure and user expectations. 

Undoubtedly, the arrest and subsequent release of Pavel Durov in August 2024 have influenced the profound changes in Telegram, within an increasingly monitored digital context and the pressure of dealing with criticism over content moderation and the use of the platform for illegal activities. 

Decentralised verification: more security or more control? 

One of the most notable changes is the introduction of a verification system through external entities, such as educational consortia or government agencies. Previously, verification on Telegram was limited to public figures and official organisations, marked with a blue badge. With this new feature, third-party verified entities will be able to authenticate user and organisation accounts, highlighting them with a specific logo. 

The process to obtain this verification requires external entities to first verify their official bots with Telegram. Once approved, they can request the ability to authenticate other accounts within the platform. While this measure promises to enhance transparency and prevent scams, it also raises questions about privacy management and the standards these entities will adopt. The reliance on external actors opens up a debate: which organisations are reliable enough, and how will potential abuses or biases in the process be prevented? 

Telegram’s decentralised approach to legal challenges 

The arrest and legal charges against Pavel Durov in France brought Telegram into the spotlight regarding its responsibility in content moderation and the prevention of illegal activities on the platform. Durov faced several charges in France, including complicity in the use of the platform for activities such as fraud, money laundering, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Although Durov denied the accusations, they raised doubts about his project. 

Durov has always been steadfast in his position, questioning the validity of the laws applied and defending Telegram’s commitment to active content moderation. He emphasised that, although only a small percentage of users are involved in illegal activities (around 0.001%), they represent a significant threat to the platform’s reputation and the security of its nearly one billion users. Telegram removes millions of harmful posts and channels every day, but the concern over how the judicial system tries to hold executives accountable for the actions of users remains a hot topic. 

This context of legal challenges is undoubtedly a factor that has influenced Telegram’s new updates. The introduction of a decentralised verification system and the improvement of moderation tools can be seen as a response to the pressure Telegram faces to ensure its platform is not used for illicit purposes. 

Gifts turned into NFTs: Expanding into Web3 

Another notable aspect of Telegram’s new update is the introduction of the ability to convert gifts into NFTs (non-fungible tokens). This feature, available through Telegram Stars (the app’s rewards system), allows users to transform more than 20 existing gifts, such as “Homemade Cake,” “Spiced Wine,” and “Santa Hat,” into unique digital collectibles. These NFTs can be shared, sold, or auctioned on other NFT platforms, opening up new opportunities for monetisation and personalisation for users. 

Telegram has integrated this new functionality as part of its approach to Web3, a digital space that promotes decentralised ownership and authenticity of assets. By allowing the conversion of gifts into NFTs, the platform not only enhances its appeal to users interested in digital ownership but also establishes a connection with emerging technologies that are changing the way people interact with digital goods. However, Telegram charges a fee for converting these gifts into NFTs, helping to cover the costs associated with transactions on the blockchain. 

This possibility introduces an advanced technological dimension, but by including fees for this service, the question arises whether Telegram is still as democratic and accessible as it was previously perceived. 

While these fees may be justified as a way to sustain the blockchain infrastructure, they could also limit the participation of users who cannot or do not want to bear that cost, moving away from a fully inclusive model. At a time when tech platforms are facing greater pressure to regulate and monetise themselves, it is crucial to ensure that these measures do not compromise the principles of freedom and accessibility that made them popular. 

Profound changes in the user experience 

In addition to updates on account verification and NFTs, Telegram has also launched improvements focused on the user experience. New search filters have been activated, both in private chats and in groups and channels, allowing users to easily find what they’re looking for within conversations. Furthermore, the option to react with emojis to service messages, such as when a user joins a group, has been introduced, enhancing interaction and personalisation within the platform. 

A platform struggling for its independence 

Telegram’s recent updates are a response to the legal, regulatory, and security challenges the platform faces. However, we should ask ourselves what happens when tech platforms yield to external pressures, moving away from a user-centric model. It is crucial not to lose sight of the importance of preserving digital spaces of freedom and autonomy, ensuring that innovations do not become tools of control rather than empowerment.