“People Nearby” Feature Disappears from Telegram After Durov’s Arrest
On August 25, 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France on charges related to his messaging platform. French authorities suspect that Telegram has been used to facilitate various criminal activities, including drug trafficking, terrorism, and cybercrime. In particular, features like “People Nearby” have drawn the attention of law enforcement agencies.
What Is the “People Nearby” Feature?
The “People Nearby” feature in Telegram allows users to find other people and local groups nearby using geolocation data. Over time, it has gained a controversial reputation, as it has often been misused by bad actors for stalking and tracking individuals. Additionally, it has been actively used in tools like CCTV (Close-Circuit Telegram Vision), developed by Ivan Glinkin. This tool allowed users to input coordinates and receive a list of users within a 500-meter radius, making it convenient for criminal purposes.
Recent Changes and User Reports
Recently, Telegram users noticed that the “People Nearby” feature has stopped working. It is unclear whether this is due to a technical issue or an intentional shutdown. It’s also worth noting that the feature displaying the active user count for bots stopped working shortly before, which may indicate possible technical changes or updates within the messenger.
Interestingly, despite the feature being disabled, contacts from users’ lists still appear in the “People Nearby” menu, and some users outside of Russia report that the feature continues to work in their regions. This suggests that the shutdown may be partial or region-specific.
Regulatory Pressure and Possible Reasons
These events are unfolding amid increased pressure on Telegram from European regulators, especially after the adoption of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in 2023. The DSA strengthened oversight of digital platforms and required them to take more active measures in content moderation. The disabling of the “People Nearby” feature may be linked to this regulatory pressure as well as recent abuses of the feature.