Telegram restricts access to Hamas-linked channels amid conflict

Messaging app Telegram has taken action to restrict access to channels associated with Hamas as the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group intensifies. Several high-profile Hamas-related channels, including one operated by the al-Qassam Brigades, have been made inaccessible on Telegram’s iOS and Google Play Store apps, as reported by CNN.

The move appears to be influenced by app store operators’ policies regarding content moderation. Telegram had faced criticism for allowing Hamas, a designated foreign terror organization in the United States, to operate on its platform. In contrast, other major social media platforms had banned the group.

Why does it matter?

With a global user base of approximately 800 million people, Telegram’s loose content rules have drawn in extremist and far-right groups who found refuge on the platform after being banned from platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Notably, some Telegram groups were implicated in coordinating the January 6th Capitol attack in the US and the 2023 Brazilian Congress attack. According to experts in countering misinformation, extreme content initially shared on Telegram has the potential to rapidly spread to more widely used and conventional social media platforms. This restriction may be a reaction to this alarming trend.