“Two Scenarios” Result in Full Blockade of Telegram
The forum “Creative Private Room” on the website “Hidden Camera Forum” contains a large amount of illegal voyeuristic images of minors, which are traded through a membership system. Recently, due to the revelation that Taiwanese artist Huang Zijiao holds a premium membership, more attention has been drawn to this issue. Following the incident, the Ministry of Digital Affairs swiftly shut down the website and requested internet service providers to stop resolving the domain of “Creative Private Room” to prevent people from accessing the illegal website.
Further reading:
Did Huang Zijiao become a big spender? Stablecoins in “Creative Private Room,” can the online financial flow lead to the culprits?
However, according to a report by the Liberty Times, the forum operator “Old Horse” seems to have shifted to Telegram groups and continues to trade and publish sexual videos, as well as disclose the personal information of victims. Chang Hsiu-yuan, Director-General of the Protection Department of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated that they have already received the information and initiated the collection of evidence. If it is confirmed that the Telegram group exists, the chat room name/link is known, and the conversation clearly shows illegal activities, further action can be taken.
After obtaining concrete evidence, if Telegram provides a contact window and can be reached, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will issue a notice to impose administrative sanctions and request the platform to “remove the related chat rooms within 24 hours.”
If Telegram does not comply with the administrative sanctions and fails to remove the relevant chat rooms within the given time frame, comprehensive measures will be taken to block the Telegram platform. This means that all users in Taiwan will no longer be able to use Telegram.
Scenario One: Failure to Remove Chat Rooms Within 24 Hours After Being Notified
Chang Hsiu-yuan pointed out that they have received information and initiated evidence collection. If it is “confirmed that the Telegram group exists,” “the chat room name/link is known,” and “the conversation screens show relevant illegal activities,” the next phase of action can be taken.
After obtaining concrete evidence, if Telegram has a contact window and can be reached, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will issue a notice to impose administrative sanctions and request the platform to “remove the related chat rooms within 24 hours.”
If Telegram does not comply with the administrative sanctions by removing the relevant chat rooms within the specified time frame, comprehensive measures will be taken to block the Telegram platform. In other words, all users in Taiwan will no longer be able to use Telegram.
Scenario Two: Inability to Establish Contact with the Telegram Platform
Since Telegram is an instant messaging software from Russia, it currently lacks communication channels, and there are few countries that can directly deal with it. Therefore, if the Ministry of Health and Welfare cannot find a direct contact window, resulting in the inability to notify the administrative sanctions, direct restrictions will be imposed on the Telegram platform.
However, Chang Hsiu-yuan pointed out that they have already obtained the email contact channel of Telegram and requested the official Telegram team to understand the situation.
Why has Telegram become a tool for crime?
Telegram has always been known for protecting user privacy and its “high privacy encrypted communication.” It became popular because of this feature. During the anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong, Telegram’s difficulty in tracing communication records made it a channel for organizing actions and exchanging messages, becoming a weapon for citizens to resist the government.
However, the emphasis on privacy has also attracted criminals and become a breeding ground for crime. For example, the shocking “Nth Room” case in South Korea involved criminal organizations spreading various types of pornography through Telegram groups and charging membership fees to “enter the room.”
According to Telegram’s official company policy, “all Telegram conversations or group conversations are kept private among its participants. We do not process any requests regarding them.”
Due to Telegram’s ability to fully protect user anonymous data, to the extent that even chat room members cannot identify each other’s identities, it has become a favorite for illegal transactions. The Chinese and Russian governments have banned the use of Telegram, as they believe its “excessive” protection of cybersecurity undermines the public interest.
Telegram is currently the preferred communication software for the global Web3 industry and cryptocurrency communities. Chang Hsiu-yuan also pointed out that many business models rely on Telegram. If Telegram is truly blocked, it may affect normal business activities. However, considering the rights of the victims, in the aforementioned two scenarios of “failure to remove chat rooms within 24 hours after being notified” or “inability to establish contact with the Telegram platform,” the social platform will still be blocked to protect the victims.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare also urges platform operators to actively screen and prevent criminals from engaging in illegal activities through their services. They also hope that the public can play the role of “whistleblowers” by actively providing relevant information, allowing relevant authorities to intervene in a timely manner.