Will Telegram Face a Ban in an EU Country Before October 2024?

Telegram has run into trouble with governments worldwide for enabling extremism and disinformation. Now, with its CEO briefly detained in France over alleged criminal activity on the app, could Telegram face a ban in an EU country in the coming month?

Which Countries Have Banned Telegram So Far?

Telegram has already faced bans and restrictions in numerous countries around the world. Russia banned Telegram in 2018 after the company refused to share user data, and Iran blocked the app at the same time during anti-government protests that utilized Telegram. China banned it in 2015, allegedly over a distributed denial-of-service attack that was suspected to be a cover to censor the platform.

Belarus restricted Telegram channels in 2020-2021 that were used to organize anti-government protests. Thailand banned the app in 2020 after it was used to organize large anti-government demonstrations. India and Germany have also both considered bans on Telegram recently due to concerns around misinformation and extremism.

In total, Telegram has been banned fully or partially in over 30 countries, affecting more than 3 billion users. These actions highlight that governments view the encrypted messaging app as a threat.

Are more Telegram bans to come in EU countries this year? According to 1xbet.com, there’s a chance of 13.80% – and odds of 7.23/1 – that a Telegram ban in an EU country will happen before October 2024.

Could a Ban Happen in the UK?

Although no longer in the EU, the UK is one country where a potential Telegram ban has been discussed more vocally lately. After the app was used to coordinate anti-immigrant riots across UK cities in the summer of 2024, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said there should be “tough sanctions” against Telegram.

With continuing pressure on social media platforms that enable hate and disinformation, the UK could move on to legally ban or restrict Telegram if concerns escalate. However, no concrete steps have been taken yet.

What About in Spain?

Spain temporarily banned Telegram earlier in the year over copyright concerns, although the ruling was quickly overturned. The brief one-day ban highlighted the government’s willingness to crack down on Telegram if needed.

If disinformation or extremism on the platform grows, Spain may consider another attempt at a ban. The copyright concerns also haven’t gone away fully, either.

Could Germany or France Follow Suit?

Germany has been firm with Telegram in the past, issuing a multimillion dollar fine in 2022 over failures to comply with German law and remove illegal content. If Telegram refuses to cooperate on hate speech and disinformation, Germany could escalate to a full or partial ban.

The recent arrest of Telegram’s CEO in France shows the French government also takes concerns around Telegram seriously. France may consider a ban if Telegram does not address issues like drug trafficking on its platform.

However, full bans in both countries seem unlikely in the short term, as Telegram has worked to remove illegal content. Targeted restrictions seem more plausible.

Ultimately, the fate of Telegram in Europe remains uncertain. Growing government scrutiny means the app faces an uphill battle to maintain access across the continent. But whether any country will pull the trigger on an outright ban before October 2024 is yet to be seen.