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Messaging app Telegram on Saturday refuted claims of non-cooperation with authorities and emphasised its robust security measures following reports that the app has been banned in Nepal.
In an official statement, Telegram expressed surprise at the Nepali government's decision to block the platform, asserting that it has consistently complied with legal requests from Nepali authorities. "Telegram is surprised by these statements. We have consistently responded to Nepal's legal requests. Telegram actively moderates harmful content on its platform and removes fraud and money laundering whenever discovered," the statement read. The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) issued a notice ordering all telecommunication service providers to block Telegram with immediate effect on Friday late afternoon. "As the number of online frauds through the Telegram App operating in Nepal is continuously increasing, and it has been understood that there is involvement in serious crimes such as money laundering, all relevant telecommunication service providers have been directed through this notice to immediately block/close access to the Telegram App," the one-sentence notice read. The telecommunication regulatory body of the Himalayan nation didn't elaborate or mention the number of cases of online fraud and incidents of money laundering. However, last year, during the hacking of F1 Soft, the dominant online transaction software widely used by Nepali banks, the police discovered the use of Telegram to communicate, which has since increased scrutiny in the Himalayan nation. The Himalayan nation, with a population of less than 30 million, has an internet penetration rate of 16.5 million individuals using the internet in Nepal at the start of 2025, when online penetration stood at 55.8 per cent, as per government data. Telegram further said that has been unblocked in Vietnam. Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology had issued an order to ban Telegram in May this year. Telegram also refuted claims of global controversy over security and data breaches, asserting, "Telegram's security is provably secure using its open-source apps and fully documented encryption protocols. To date, no viable means of breaking the encryption Telegram uses has ever been found." (ANI)
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