Remember, at the start of the season, the French media reported broadcasts of Ligue 1 matches in illegal streaming on Telegram. At the same time, we know that some pirate IPTV networks have taken to operating on the messaging platform.
However, since the arrest of Pavel Durov last August in France, the service has reaffirmed in its communication its desire to collaborate with the authorities to stop fraudsters. Let’s take stock.
An emblematic affair
A new case has finally convinced hackers that Telegram is dangerous for them. Torrent Freak tells us about the Corsaire Bleu operation carried out by the Guardia Civil in Madrid. The latter made it possible to deactivate “the most important streaming channel in Spain”.
In detail, the police were able to find the identity of the managers of this extension which illegally and free of charge broadcast meetings on Telegram to 78,000 users. The 37-year-old man who was arrested has been charged with “crime linked to the market and consumers” with a related fraud of around 47 million euros.
In a press release, those responsible for the fight against piracy specify that this initiative made it possible to “block and eliminate” the channels used on the application. As our colleagues have noted, pirate networks are fleeing the Telegram service en masse.
After Cristal Azul which seems to be the name of the network targeted in this operation, other names such as TVChopo and Kodivertido, well known to Spanish Internet users, decided to take measures in October to avoid attracting attention.
Telegram displays its firmness
In fact, the Spanish site AvPasion asked Telegram about the risks facing those responsible for illegal channels on the service and the answer was very clear:
We have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, ensuring they are consistent around the world. We have made it clear that the IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate our rules may be disclosed to appropriate authorities in response to valid legal requests.
A message which has certainly not gone unnoticed by those concerned. Enough to shake up certain habits among fraudsters looking for a more secure platform for their activities.
However, these changes are not likely to slow down the success of illegal streaming and IPTV platforms too much in Europe and the rest of the world. The popularity is such that around 5% of French people use these pirate services.
