The messaging application Telegram described the claims of Iranian officials regarding hosting 30% of Iranian users' data in Iran as '100% nonsense' in a Twitter message. On Wednesday, September 6, the Mehr News Agency reported, citing Mohammad Hossein Entazari, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, that 13 million Iranians are users of the Telegram app and that '30% of the data' of these users is hosted within Iran. This statement raised concerns among Iranian Telegram users in the country, prompting some to seek clarification from the app's managers via Twitter. Telegram's official Twitter account responded that Iranian user data is hosted on servers in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported on Friday, September 1, citing an 'informed source,' that Telegram, after 'negotiations' with Iranian officials, would 'soon' establish some of its servers inside Iran. According to this report, the Iranian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology requested in a letter to Telegram to 'create restrictions' on Iranian users' access to 'certain applications' of this messaging app. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran urged 'Telegram officials and all tech companies that go to Iran after the lifting of sanctions' to 'ensure that users' data will not be handed over to security and law enforcement agencies.' In this context, the Iranian Ministry of Communications denied filtering the Telegram social network.
Claim of Hosting Iranian Telegram Users' Data in the Country: '100% Nonsense'
Telegram has rejected Iranian officials' claims that 30% of Iranian users' data is hosted in Iran, calling it 'nonsense.' This has sparked concerns among users and led to calls for clarification. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between the Iranian government and tech companies regarding data privacy and user rights.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Telegram refuted claims by Iranian officials that 30% of Iranian users' data is hosted in Iran, calling it 'nonsense.' This has raised concerns among users about data privacy and government control.
- Iranian officials claimed that 30% of Telegram user data is hosted in Iran.
- Telegram stated that all Iranian user data is hosted on servers in Amsterdam.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has a history of internet censorship and surveillance, making the handling of user data a critical issue for both users and tech companies operating in the country.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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