Disclosure of several channels on Telegram that steal and publish intimate pictures of women
It was discovered that several channels simultaneously steal and widely disseminate intimate images of women without their knowledge in Telegram, for the sake of shame or blackmail.
According to the BBC’s investigation, the leak of the explicit footage occurs by publishing personal information of the victims – their Instagram and Facebook profiles, as well as their phone number statement. One victim told the BBC: “They made me feel like a whore because they thought I shared my intimate pictures.”
According to Sarah (not her real name) from Cuba, her photo ended up in a Telegram group, despite being sent to only one person. The journalists noted that they found at least 18 channels and 24 groups sharing thousands of secretly filmed, stolen or leaked photos of women in at least 20 countries.
Telegram does not have a specific policy to deal with the sharing of intimate images without the knowledge of the author of the image, but the terms state that users agree not to post illegal pornographic content on public channels.
