Odense to monitor youths on Telegram app

Odense Municipality plans to monitor youths’ activity on the social media platform Telegram to be ‘present’ in groups, stated Christoffer Lilleholt, councilor for the Employment and Social Administration. Moved by the shifting dynamics of young people’s lives to digital spaces, the municipality aims to prevent issues including the trade of hard drugs and sharing of violent or harassing content. Although Social Democrats have expressed a desire to ban Telegram due to privacy concerns and misuse, Lilleholt sees no imminent ban, prompting the municipal proactive approach. Previous police infiltration operations on Telegram have uncovered drug dealings and sharing of intimate content. The app, known for its encryption and originating from Russia since 2013, was also highlighted in a high-profile case involving extremist terror.