Telegram is said to have to pay a fine of more than five million euros
These fines could be expensive for Telegram. Because the Federal Office of Justice has imposed penalties of more than five million euros on the messenger service.
The Federal Office of Justice has issued two fine notices to the messenger service Telegram. The accusation: The messenger service did not comply with the regulations of the Network Enforcement Act. Now there are horrendous fines that add up to 5.125 million euros.
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Telegram: Why is the fine so high?
The reason for the high fines lies in the Network Enforcement Act – NetzDG for short. This law stipulates that social media platforms must give their users the opportunity to report criminal content.
Among other things, hatred and hate speech on the Internet should be combated. If users report content, the respective platform is then obliged to get to the bottom of these complaints.
But users of the messenger service did not have this opportunity to complain in 2020 and 2021. The service did not provide any “legal reporting channels”. The Federal Office of Justice has imposed a fine of 4.25 million euros for this.
Telegram received two fines at the same time
But that’s not all. Because the Federal Office of Justice has issued another fine against the messenger service.
Accordingly, Telegram has to pay 875,000 euros because it failed to name a domestic authorized recipient.
Because the NetzDG obliges providers of social networks and platforms to “name a person or institution authorized to accept service with a serviceable address in Germany”. This is necessary so that courts and authorities can deliver their mail in a legally binding manner.
Federal Office of Justice could not deliver mail in Dubai
The press release from the Federal Office of Justice states that in April 2021 there were several attempts to deliver hearing letters to the company’s headquarters in Dubai.
The competent local authorities would have supported the Federal Office of Justice – the delivery was still not successful.
The authority then published its hearing letter publicly in the Federal Gazette. A statement by a Telegram lawyer “could not refute the allegations”, which is why the fines have now been issued. Telegram can now appeal against this.
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