Pavel Durov, the CEO of the widely-used messaging application Telegram, has recently been apprehended in France. According to a spokesperson from the French police, Durov is currently under investigation by the national cyber-crime unit and the national fraud office for alleged offenses linked to activities on the Telegram platform. In response, Telegram issued a statement asserting that it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform.”
Who is Pavel Durov?
At just 39 years old, Durov has already established himself as a multi-billionaire entrepreneur, originally hailing from Russia. He is notably the founder of VKontakte, a prominent social media network in Russia. In 2014, Durov made the decision to leave Russia after he resisted government demands to dismantle opposition communities on VKontakte. The following year, he launched Telegram, which he now operates from Dubai, where he resides. Durov holds citizenship in both the UAE and France, although Russia continues to recognize him as a citizen. Telegram has indicated that Durov frequently travels throughout Europe. In a recent interview with conservative media figure Tucker Carlson, Durov expressed his commitment to resisting certain governmental requests to censor content on his platform, stating, “Where we thought it would be crossing the line… we would ignore.”
What is Telegram?
Telegram stands as one of the largest social media and messaging platforms globally, alongside giants like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat. In July, Durov announced that Telegram had reached an impressive 950 million monthly active users. The platform enjoys significant popularity in regions such as Russia and Ukraine, and it has become a favored tool for pro-democracy activists in places like Iran and Hong Kong. While Telegram does offer encryption to protect user messages, this feature is not automatically enabled for all users.
A key distinction between Telegram and its competitors, such as WhatsApp, lies in the size of groups; Telegram allows up to 200,000 members in a single group, compared to WhatsApp’s limit of 1,000. This expansive capacity has drawn criticism, as it can facilitate the rapid spread of disinformation. Critics have raised concerns about the platform’s role in disseminating extremist content, including conspiratorial, neo-Nazi, and other illegal material. In the UK, Telegram faced scrutiny for hosting far-right channels implicated in recent violent incidents.
In light of Durov’s arrest, Telegram maintained that its moderation practices are “within industry standards and constantly improving,” asserting compliance with European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act. The company emphasized its commitment to providing a safe communication platform for nearly a billion users worldwide.
What has been said about Durov’s arrest?
As details surrounding Durov’s arrest remain sparse, the specific allegations from French authorities are yet to be clarified. This event marks an unusual occurrence, as it is rare for the owner of a social media or messaging platform to face arrest due to content shared on that platform. Prominent figures, including Elon Musk, have taken to social media to express their support, with Musk posting #FreePavel alongside a clip of Durov discussing changes made at Twitter after Musk’s acquisition.
Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower currently residing in Russia, voiced his concerns on social media, labeling Durov’s arrest as an infringement on fundamental human rights related to speech and association. He expressed disappointment that French President Emmanuel Macron would resort to such measures, suggesting it diminishes France’s standing on the global stage. In a statement, President Macron acknowledged the situation, asserting that he...
