Paris – Pavel Durov, the CEO and founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, has been detained in France under a warrant related to allegations concerning insufficient moderation of the platform. French officials accuse Durov of failing to address criminal activities facilitated through Telegram, including drug trafficking and child sexual abuse.
Telegram has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform.” The company emphasizes that its moderation practices align with industry standards and that it complies with European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act.
Durov, 39, a Russian-born multi-billionaire, is well-known for founding VKontakte, a major social media network in Russia, before establishing Telegram in 2013. After leaving Russia in 2014 due to government pressure to shut down opposition communities, Durov relocated to Dubai, where he currently resides and operates Telegram. He holds citizenship in both the UAE and France but is still regarded as a Russian citizen by Moscow.
In April, Durov publicly defended his platform’s approach to content moderation during an interview with conservative US media personality Tucker Carlson. He stated that Telegram would refuse requests from authorities that conflict with its principles of freedom of speech and privacy.
Telegram is recognized as one of the leading global messaging platforms, with up to 950 million monthly active users. It offers features such as large group sizes, with up to 200,000 members per group, distinguishing it from competitors like WhatsApp. Despite its popularity, Telegram has faced criticism for hosting extremist and illegal content, including far-right and conspiratorial material.
The platform’s moderation practices have come under scrutiny in various countries. In the UK, Telegram was criticized for enabling far-right groups to organize violent protests. Cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about its ability to manage extremist content compared to other social media services.
Following Durov’s arrest, several notable figures have weighed in on the situation. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, expressed support for Durov by posting #FreePavel on X, along with a clip of Durov discussing changes Musk made after purchasing Twitter. Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower now living in Russia, condemned the arrest as an attack on fundamental human rights, criticizing French President Emmanuel Macron for allegedly using the arrest to gain access to private communications.
Details about the specific charges against Durov remain unclear, but his arrest represents a rare and significant move against the owner of a major social media platform over content-related issues. As Telegram awaits further developments, it continues to assert its commitment to upholding user privacy and adhering to regulatory standards.