“The internet is not a lawless space. Criminal content like death threats must also be prosecuted on the internet. Among other things, platforms are duty-bound to provide an appropriate complaint system,” wrote the interior ministry in a tweet on Tuesday.

Under German regulations, online social media are required to offer channels for users to flag up potentially criminal content.

The media are also required to remove illegal content and report it to police.

Telegram has come under scrutiny in recent years as extremists have increasingly turned to the app to spread hate or even death threats.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the app was used by some anti-vaccine protesters to share false information and to encourage violence against politicians.