Enhanced Moderation of Telegram Search
In early September, channel administrators began noticing changes in Telegram’s search algorithm. In his latest message, Pavel Durov confirmed that the messaging app's team has started moderating search results:
• Users can report problematic search queries: The founder of the app invited users to help identify search queries that return undesirable content. Users can report such keywords to a new official bot — @SearchReport. Initially, this bot didn’t work in Russia and Ukraine, but a few hours later, users from these countries were also given access.
• Similar changes happen regularly: In September last year, Telegram began accounting for inflated subscriber counts and the share of users with Telegram Premium. At the end of August 2022, Telegram removed a large number of “inactive” usernames, arguing that inactive channels cluttered search results.
• Telegram is fighting illegal content this way: According to Pavel Durov, this year’s changes are aimed at tackling the search for illegal goods and services via Telegram.
• Not just rule-breakers are missing from search: Users have noticed that many channels from categories that do not violate Telegram’s rules, such as unofficial clients and news channels covering Telegram, have also disappeared from search results. This change has affected @tginfo as well. Now, these channels are only displayed in search reliably if you’re already subscribed to them.
#search
In early September, channel administrators began noticing changes in Telegram’s search algorithm. In his latest message, Pavel Durov confirmed that the messaging app's team has started moderating search results:
“In recent weeks, a dedicated team of moderators, using AI, has made Telegram search much safer. All problematic content we found in search is no longer accessible.”
• Users can report problematic search queries: The founder of the app invited users to help identify search queries that return undesirable content. Users can report such keywords to a new official bot — @SearchReport. Initially, this bot didn’t work in Russia and Ukraine, but a few hours later, users from these countries were also given access.
• Similar changes happen regularly: In September last year, Telegram began accounting for inflated subscriber counts and the share of users with Telegram Premium. At the end of August 2022, Telegram removed a large number of “inactive” usernames, arguing that inactive channels cluttered search results.
• Telegram is fighting illegal content this way: According to Pavel Durov, this year’s changes are aimed at tackling the search for illegal goods and services via Telegram.
• Not just rule-breakers are missing from search: Users have noticed that many channels from categories that do not violate Telegram’s rules, such as unofficial clients and news channels covering Telegram, have also disappeared from search results. This change has affected @tginfo as well. Now, these channels are only displayed in search reliably if you’re already subscribed to them.
#search