April 8, 2026 A six-week investigation has revealed that nearly 25,000 users actively traded tens of thousands of non-consensual intimate images, including deepfakes, on Telegram, with some groups advocating violence against the women depicted.
Scale of the Operation
The investigation uncovered almost 25,000 active users sharing explicit images, often for payment, across Spanish and Italian Telegram chat groups. Over 80,000 files—comprising photos, videos, and audio recordings—were exchanged on 16 Telegram channels during the probe. Many of these images originated from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat before being redistributed without consent.
Authorities noted that some users not only shared the images but also called for the rape of the women depicted. Discussions within these groups included the exchange of sexualized images of children, further compounding the severity of the findings.
Platform Response and Challenges
A Telegram spokesperson stated that the distribution of "non-consensual intimate images, including pornographic Deep-Fakes" violates the platform’s terms of service. However, the spokesperson acknowledged that combating deepfakes presents a significant challenge for all platforms.
Despite Telegram’s policies, the investigation found that tens of thousands of nude images were traded without the consent of those depicted. Some groups went beyond image sharing, coordinating harassment campaigns against female victims and illegally publishing personal data—a practice known as doxxing.