Thousands of men use Telegram groups to spy on women, finds new research
text_fields
New research by European digital rights group AI Forensics has found that thousands of men are using secret groups on Telegram to buy hacking tools, surveillance software, and private images of women.
Researchers studied nearly 2.8 million messages posted over six weeks in 16 Italian- and Spanish-language Telegram communities. They found that more than 24,000 users shared over 82,000 images, videos, and audio files.
According to the research, the groups advertised illegal services, including hacking social media accounts, accessing private phone galleries, and monitoring a partner’s online activity without consent.
Researchers recorded more than 18,000 references to spying or surveillance. Some posts advertised bots that could secretly access a woman’s private photos. Membership of some groups costs as little as five euros a month, while certain services are sold for between 20 and 50 euros.
Silvia Semenzin said most victims were not celebrities or public figures but ordinary women, often targeted by people they knew personally.
Semenzin called for Telegram to be classified as a very large online platform under European Union rules, which would subject it to stricter regulation.
A spokesperson for Telegram said the company removes millions of pieces of harmful content every day using artificial intelligence tools. The company said it had blocked nearly 12 million groups and channels this year, including more than 153,000 linked to child abuse material.
Telegram said its rules prohibit violent content, non-consensual sexual imagery, doxing, and the sale of illegal services.
Adam Dodge, an organisation focused on technology-enabled abuse, said platforms such as Telegram can become hubs for abuse because they offer anonymity and allow large networks to form quickly.
The researchers said similar networks have previously been uncovered in China, Germany, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, suggesting the problem is widespread.
Pavel Durov is currently under criminal investigation in France over alleged criminal activity on the platform, allegations he has denied.