Durov called blocking fakes about COVID-19 ineffective

Telegram does not block fake coronavirus posts because censorship often makes it harder to fight false ideas, Telegram founder Pavel Durov wrote on his channel.

“In 20 years of managing discussion platforms, I have noticed that conspiracy theories only get stronger every time their content is removed by moderators. Instead of putting an end to the spread of false ideas, censorship often makes it difficult to fight them,” Durov wrote. Therefore, spreading the truth will always be a more effective strategy than using censorship, he pointed out.

According to him, users have the right to receive information about the coronavirus from official sources that reflect scientific consensus. He noted that the company has partnered with the governments of 19 countries to provide messenger users with the latest information on COVID-19 .

Earlier, Telegram announced the launch of a program to verify channels, groups, and bots. Its purpose is to help users distinguish reliable sources from fake news. The messenger also invited health officials to cooperate to inform users about the situation with coronavirus. To do this, you need to confirm the channel using a special bot, and then contact the Telegram administration by email.