Telegram’s decision to establish an office in Kazakhstan is consistent with the company’s ongoing compliance initiatives, as its CEO is currently in France, despite an ongoing investigation.
On October 14, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan announced that Telegram had consented to establish an office and appoint a local representative in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Minister Zhaslan Madiyev has stated that Telegram’s physical presence in the country will be a “significant step” in enhancing control over content on the messaging platform.
Telegram’s prominence in the country renders the measure significant. According to Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, 12.5 million Kazakhs—more than half of the nation’s 20 million population—utilize the platform on a monthly basis, representing a 25% increase from 2023.
Kazakhstani officials convened with representatives from the United States Chamber of Commerce and significant US technology corporations, including Apple and Meta, to make the announcement.
During the meetings, Kazakh officials deliberated on matters concerning data protection, fraud prevention, and the identification of false accounts on social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Meta. In the third quarter, Meta reported that it employed artificial intelligence to prevent the creation of 1.2 billion counterfeit accounts worldwide.
The government of Kazakhstan has been collaborating with international partners to guarantee the safety of its citizens in the digital realm, as per Madiyev.
Telegram’s decision to establish an office in Kazakhstan is a component of its overarching drive for compliance, which coincides with Durov’s scrutiny in France regarding the platform’s management of illicit activities.
Telegram has intensified its efforts to counteract illicit activity on the messenger app since French authorities indicted Durov on multiple offences in late August.
Durov stated in September that Telegram was disclosing the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who contravened the app’s policies upon receiving requests from the appropriate authorities.
Duro also stated that Telegram has updated its search engine, utilizing AI to identify illicit content and eliminating “problematic” content from search results.
One of the initial offices established by Telegram to enhance conformance is located in Kazakhstan. By the time of publication, Telegram had not responded to Cointelegraph’s request for a comment.
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