Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is being held in custody after being arrested at an airport near Paris over the weekend.
French authorities say his arrest was made in connection with a sprawling investigation into illicit and illegal activity on Telegram, a popular messaging app that promises ultra-secure communications, as well as the option for group chats that can support tens of thousands of people. Telegram says nearly a billion people use the platform worldwide.
This photograph taken on March 23, 2022, shows the logo of Telegram Messenger.
Denis Charlet/AFP via Getty Images
The investigation covers everything from alleged drug trafficking, child pornography, money laundering and fraud that took place on or was organized on Telegram. Authorities say Durov is not implicated in those specific crimes; rather, his platform may have run afoul of European law by hosting that content. Durov himself has not yet been charged.
In the European Union, the Digital Services Act is aimed at regulating illegal material posted on social media platforms. It holds that once a company is informed about illegal content on its platform, it becomes liable for that content. In the United States, this content is governed by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which, by contrast, holds that platforms cannot be held liable for content posted on them.
Previous violations of the Digital Services Act by Big Tech firms have largely come in the form of fines, meaning Durov’s arrest marks a significant escalation by European authorities.
Telegram has responded, saying it “abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act,” and that Durov has “nothing to hide.”
Founder and CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 23, 2016.
Albert Gea/Reuters
The company also says that “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for the abuse of that platform.”
Durov was born in Russia, and founded Telegram alongside his brother in 2013. The following year he fled the country amid pressure from the Russian government for Telegram to share information on Ukrainian users. Prior to that Durov created VK, a Russian social networking site similar to Facebook.
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Pavel Durov, the CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, has been arrested in Paris as part of an investigation into illegal activity on the platform. Durov, who is known for his outspoken views on privacy and encryption, was taken into custody by French authorities on charges of facilitating criminal activity on Telegram.
Telegram has long been a favorite among users who value privacy and security, thanks to its end-to-end encryption and self-destructing messages. However, the app has also been criticized for being used by criminals to communicate and coordinate illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, terrorism, and child exploitation.
The arrest of Durov comes as a shock to many in the tech industry, who see him as a champion of free speech and privacy rights. Durov has been a vocal critic of government surveillance and censorship, and has refused to comply with requests from authorities to provide access to user data.
In a statement released by Telegram following Durov’s arrest, the company reiterated its commitment to protecting user privacy and said that it would cooperate with authorities in their investigation. However, many are concerned that Durov’s arrest could set a dangerous precedent for other tech companies that prioritize user privacy.
The news of Durov’s arrest has sparked a debate about the balance between privacy and security in the digital age. While many agree that it is important to crack down on criminal activity online, others worry that governments could use this as an excuse to infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
As the investigation into illegal activity on Telegram continues, it remains to be seen what impact Durov’s arrest will have on the future of the messaging app and on the broader debate about privacy and security in the digital age.
