Iraq’s telecom ministry lifted the ban on Telegram over the weekend after blocking the chat app due to security concerns.
According to a statement that was translated, the ministry said that the ban was lifted as a result of Telegram’s “response of the company that owns the application to the requirements of the security authorities,” which required Telegram to disclose sources leaking data of officials and civilians.
The ministry asserted that Telegram has demonstrated a willingness to informing authorities about security issues while maintaining that it “doesn’t stand against freedom of expression.”
According to Telegram, the company prohibits users from uploading private information on the network without permission. The operator of the messaging app informed the publication that Telegram did not provide any sensitive user information to Iraqi authorities.
“We can confirm that our moderators took down several channels sharing personal data. However, we can also confirm that no private user data was requested from Telegram and that none has been shared,” Telegram said on a statement.
Iraq last Thursday banned the chat app, claiming that numerous channels were disseminating the private information of its citizens, including names, residences, and relationships to other family members.
The ministry claimed that Telegram, which has more than 800 million users worldwide, ignored its pleas at the time, leading to the country’s ban on the programme.
