Telegram, the encrypted messaging app, has quietly limited access to several channels associated with the Palestinian armed group Hamas. This move comes as concerns grow over the dissemination of violent content and propaganda on the platform. While the reasons behind the restrictions have not been publicly disclosed, they were implemented shortly after a US-based lobby group, the Zachor Legal Institute, raised the issue with Apple.
The affected channels include Hamas’s official account, the account of its armed wing the Qassam Brigades, and the news account Gaza Now. Users who have downloaded Telegram from Google Play or Apple’s App Store have reported being unable to access these channels. However, they remain accessible through the online version of Telegram and the version downloaded directly from the platform’s website.
Google, in a statement, confirmed that Google Play requires apps with user-generated content to moderate content that promotes terrorist acts or incites violence. It remains unclear whether Telegram’s restrictions are a result of this policy or other factors. Neither Apple nor Telegram has commented on the matter.
Hamas, considered a “terrorist” organization by several countries, has utilized Telegram extensively to promote its message and share violent videos and images of its attacks on southern Israeli communities in real time. Other armed groups, such as ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda, have also utilized Telegram as a platform for promoting their ideologies and claiming responsibility for attacks.
Critics argue that Telegram’s loose moderation policies have allowed militant groups like Hamas to upload graphic content without sufficient regulation. Layla Mashkoor, an associate editor at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, explained that the lack of moderation policies on Telegram enables such content to spread to other parts of the internet.
Since the restrictions were imposed on the Google Play and App Store versions of Telegram, the affected channels have experienced a decline in subscribers. The Qassam Brigades and Hamas channels have lost between 10,000 and 80,000 subscribers, while Gaza Now, described as “Hamas-aligned” by the Atlantic Council, has seen a decrease from 1.9 million subscribers to around 1.8 million.
Telegram CEO, Pavel Durov, has defended the platform’s loose moderation policies, stating that they provide valuable information about events like the Israel-Hamas war. Durov argues that Telegram channels are less likely to spread harmful content compared to competitors, as users must actively choose to join these channels. While millions of pieces of harmful content are removed daily by moderators, Durov emphasizes the importance of preserving Telegram as a source of firsthand information.
Despite the restrictions, Hamas seems to be preparing for the possibility of being removed from Telegram. The group has encouraged its followers to download a special dedicated app. Additionally, smaller channels that disseminate information from the main Hamas accounts may ensure that the group’s message continues to circulate even if Telegram takes action against them.
It is important to note that most platforms have policies against hosting content from designated terrorist organizations. Efforts to control the spread of such content typically begin with the source channels. However, determining the appropriate balance between the violent nature of the content and the role of state leaders or officials, such as Hamas in the case of Gaza, remains a complex challenge.
In conclusion, Telegram’s restriction of Hamas-affiliated channels reflects growing concerns over the platform’s loose moderation policies. While critics argue that these policies enable the spread of violent content, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov maintains that the platform provides valuable information and should be preserved as a source of firsthand information. The impact of these restrictions on the dissemination of Hamas’s message and the potential for alternative channels to continue spreading their content remains to be seen.
