Messaging platform Telegram steps up mass channel bans

Telegram has significantly intensified its moderation efforts, restricting access to more than 114,000 groups and channels on March 17 alone, according to data cited by RIA Novosti.

The daily figure surpassed 100,000 for the first time since March 10, reflecting an uptick in enforcement activity.

Overall, the platform has blocked approximately 1.5 million communities since the start of March. Of these, around 9,400 were reportedly linked to terrorism-related content.

Since the beginning of 2026, the total number of restricted channels and groups has exceeded 10.1 million, indicating a sustained large-scale crackdown.

The highest daily figures were recorded earlier in the year. In February, Telegram blocked as many as 235,200 channels and groups in a single day, while on January 23, the number peaked at 300,800.

Over the course of 2025, the platform removed more than 44 million communities — nearly 2.7 times higher than the total recorded in 2024 — highlighting a sharp increase in content moderation efforts year-on-year.

By Tamilla Hasanova