Telegram, a messaging app known for its emphasis on privacy and security, confirmed Wednesday it had shut down dozens of public channels that "were being used by ISIS to spread their propaganda."

In a statement posted on the company's Telegram News channel, which is publicly accessible to the app's users, the company said that it had blocked 78 channels in the past week for ISIS-related activity. The company also said it would soon add an update to make it easier for people to report "objectionable public content."

Telegram is a messaging app known for its heavy encryption and emphasis on users' privacy. The app is widely popular internationally, where it is used as an alternative to WhatsApp on similar services. The app racked up millions of downloads in 2014, following Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp. The app sees more than 12 billion messages a day, according to its founder, Pavel Durov, who revealed the stat during TechCrunch Disrupt in September.

This week we blocked 78 ISIS-related channels across 12 languages. More info on our official channel: https://t.co/69Yhn2MCrK — Telegram Messenger (@telegram) November 18, 2015

Durov, told Mashable Wednesday that while the company is cracking down on public channels, "there are no changes to private chats — privacy is sacred."

"Technology can be dangerous in the wrong hands, and unfortunately it is true for pretty much every major technological advancement in history."

The issue of encryption within messaging services has come under renewed scrutiny following the terror attacks in Paris. Government officials in many countries have previously expressed concern over apps that use heavy encryption to secure users' private communications. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has previously said that he wanted tougher restrictions on such apps, including "backdoors" which allow government officials to access messages in some instances.

In an FAQ on Telegram's website, the company notes that while it blocks channels related to terrorism, it does not block freedom of speech, even in areas where speech is restricted.

Please note that this does not apply to local restrictions on freedom of speech. For example, if criticizing the government is illegal in a country, Telegram won‘t be a part of such politically motivated censorship. This goes against our founders’ principles. While we do block terrorist (e.g. ISIS-related) bots and channels, we will not block anybody who peacefully expresses alternative opinions.

Christopher Miller contributed to this report.