Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has responded to his recent arrest by French authorities, labeling it as "misguided." The Russian-born tech entrepreneur, who obtained French citizenship in 2021, addressed the incident for the first time since his detention in late August 2024.
Durov argued that investigators could have approached Telegram directly instead of resorting to his arrest. He stated, "If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start legal action against the service itself." The Telegram CEO criticized the use of "laws from the pre-smartphone era" to hold platform managers personally responsible for user actions.
While defending Telegram, Durov refuted claims that the app is an "anarchic paradise." He asserted that the platform actively removes millions of harmful posts and channels daily. However, he acknowledged that Telegram's rapid growth has presented challenges in preventing abuse.
The arrest of Durov took place at Le Bourget airport near Paris as part of an investigation into Telegram's alleged involvement in child sexual abuse and drug trafficking. The messaging app is also accused of refusing to share information with investigators when required by law. Following his arrest, Durov was released on a €5 million bail but is required to remain in France and report to police stations weekly.
This incident marks a rare instance of a top social media executive being personally charged for illicit activities conducted through their platform. Durov, whose net worth is estimated at $15 billion, founded Telegram in 2013 after leaving Russia and selling his stake in VKontakte (VK), a popular Russian social networking site he created in 2006.
Telegram, known for its emphasis on privacy and encryption, has faced scrutiny in various countries. The app has been banned or restricted in nations like Russia, Iran, and China. Despite these challenges, Telegram has grown to over 700 million monthly active users worldwide as of 2024.
"Building technology is hard enough as it is. No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools."
The messaging app recently faced criticism for its role in spreading disinformation during far-right riots across English cities in August 2024. While Telegram removed some groups used to organize the violence, cybersecurity experts claim its moderation systems are less robust compared to other social media platforms.
Durov's arrest and the allegations against Telegram highlight the ongoing challenges faced by social media companies in balancing user privacy with content moderation and law enforcement cooperation. As the platform continues to grow, it will likely face increased scrutiny from regulators and governments worldwide.