📷 Image: The Hindu (via NewsData)
Technology
Centre Warns: Telegram Becoming 'New Dark Web' for Criminals
🗓 18 Jun 2026, 08:31 PM
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The Indian government has flagged Telegram as a growing platform for illicit activities, citing its architecture and privacy features as reasons for its adoption by cybercriminals and extremist groups.
The Indian government has raised concerns that the messaging application Telegram is increasingly being utilized as a platform for illegal operations, effectively becoming a 'new dark web'. This assessment stems from an evaluation conducted by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (I4C) division.
According to the government's findings, Telegram's inherent design and its robust privacy features make it an attractive tool for various malicious actors. These include individuals and networks involved in cybercrime, financial fraud, and the dissemination of extremist ideologies.
The assessment also highlighted the app's role in facilitating the leakage of examination papers, a significant issue affecting educational integrity in the country. The government's advisory points to Telegram's architecture as a key factor enabling these illicit activities.
According to the government's findings, Telegram's inherent design and its robust privacy features make it an attractive tool for various malicious actors. These include individuals and networks involved in cybercrime, financial fraud, and the dissemination of extremist ideologies.
The assessment also highlighted the app's role in facilitating the leakage of examination papers, a significant issue affecting educational integrity in the country. The government's advisory points to Telegram's architecture as a key factor enabling these illicit activities.