Non-transparent messaging platforms pose risks for Ukrainian users, says former Google Ukraine CEO

He shared his concerns about the use of private data by uncontrolled and non-transparent messaging platforms.

"Why should we give out our private data to someone we don't control and don't know how they use it?" he said, noting that he personally opposes “blocking” and believes in educating people about information hygiene and the potential risks of using Russian-owned platforms.

"Russian companies will always cooperate with Russian security forces and the army. So you don't have to use anything that threatens your country, moreover, bans can be easily circumvented with a VPN."

“Telegram is an information dump” that lacks moderation and is a source of fake news and misinformation.

“You can do whatever you want there. This is the main problem of information hygiene education. Telegram is the main source of 'treasons' and fake news, and our people love it."

Other Ukrainian officials have previously expressed similar concerns, arguing for regulation of platforms like Telegram due to national security threats and reported cases of cooperation between Telegram's development team and Russian special services.

Potential Telegram ban in Ukraine

The Ukrainian Parliament registered a bill titled "On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Regulation of Information Sharing Platforms through which Mass Information is Disseminated" on March 25.

The bill's initiators proposed regulating the Telegram platform.

The legislature could ban representatives of state and local government agencies from having official accounts on social media platforms classified as non-transparent, one of the document's authors, MP Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech chair, said.

Telegram poses a national security problem for Ukraine due to its often destructive effect inside the country, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's Military Intelligence chief, said at the Kyiv Stratcom Forum 2024 on March 27.

Telegram cooperates with Russia’s media watchdogs Roskomnadzor and the FSB, SBU spokesperson Oleksandr Melnychenko said on March 28.

Should the FSB need to block any channel in Russia, "Telegram executes these instructions instantly."

In April, Telegram received a list of potentially problematic channels from Ukrainian authorities and is reviewing them. The Center for Countering Disinformation mentioned Ukraine's ability to influence Telegram founder Pavel Durov to limit specific channels in Ukraine.

Telegram received a request from Apple to block certain channels for Ukrainian users, Durov stated on April 24.

The messenger team agreed to comply.