Telegram Founder Calls French Investigation Against Him ‘Misguided’

On September 6, Pavel Durov, the CEO and founder of the messaging platform Telegram, expressed his discontent after being arrested by French authorities, labeling the incident as “misguided” and “surprising.”

Durov’s arrest was linked to accusations regarding insufficient moderation on the Telegram platform. He argued that he should not be held accountable for posts attributed to criminal activities.

The investigation into Durov includes allegations of complicity in illicit transactions, drug trafficking, fraud, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material, which are believed to have found a refuge on Telegram. Despite these serious charges, Durov has firmly denied any wrongdoing and insisted that his platform is not “some sort of anarchic paradise.”

He criticized the French legal approach, stating that if there were concerns related to the content on Telegram, the authorities should have pursued legal action against the platform itself rather than targeting him personally. “If a country is unhappy with an Internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself,” he noted in his statement on Telegram.

Durov went on to describe the notion of prosecuting a CEO for actions attributed to third-party users on their platform, as a “misguided approach.” He emphasized that there are ongoing efforts to remove malicious actors from Telegram, assuring that the platform is dedicated to enhancing its moderation practices.

“While 99.999% of Telegram users have nothing to do with crime, the 0.001% involved in illicit activities create a bad image for the entire platform, putting the interests of our almost billion users at risk,” he explained.

In light of these challenges, Durov expressed a commitment for this year to shift the narrative around moderation on Telegram from one of criticism to one of praise. This commitment comes in the wake of growing scrutiny from law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Numerous authorities, including those from the United States, have raised concerns that terrorist organizations opt for Telegram as their preferred communication platform. Reports indicate that drug gangs and extremist groups have also utilized the app for coordinating their activities.

In conclusion, Durov reiterated his determination to combat misuse on his platform while highlighting the necessity for a balanced approach towards moderation and responsibility in the digital age.