ASTANA – Telegram, a cloud-based, cross-platform, social media and instant messaging service, is set to open an office in Kazakhstan, said Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev on Oct. 14, following a meeting with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and representatives of Meta and Apple.
Photo credit: Google
“We cooperate with Telegram to promptly remove illegal content and block destructive channels. In accordance with our legislation, internet platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp and TikTok are now required to have a representative in Kazakhstan. An agreement has been reached with Telegram on the appointment of their representative and the opening of an office – an important step to increase control over content,” said Madiyev, reported Kazinform.
According to Pavel Durov, founder of the largest social networking site VK and the Telegram messenger app, Telegram has 12.5 million monthly users in Kazakhstan, a 25% increase from the previous year.
The ministry is also starting to work with Meta to combat fraudulent schemes. Combating online fraud is a global task that requires joint efforts. Meta representatives noted that the online fraud that Kazakhstan faces is a common problem for many countries. In July-September, Meta blocked 1.2 billion fake accounts worldwide using artificial intelligence technologies.
