Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has described his recent arrest by French authorities as “misguided” and “surprising.” The arrest, which took place in August 2024 at a Paris airport, was part of a broader investigation into alleged criminal activities facilitated through Telegram. These include accusations of drug trafficking, money laundering, and the distribution of child sexual abuse content on the platform.
Durov publicly defended himself and Telegram, stating that while his platform may not be perfect, it is far from the “anarchic paradise” that some critics portray it as. He emphasized that Telegram removes millions of harmful posts and channels daily and that only a small fraction of users engage in illegal activities. He argued that targeting him personally, instead of addressing concerns through legal action against the platform itself, was an outdated approach. According to Durov, French authorities should have used existing communication channels, such as a “hotline” to Telegram’s EU representative, instead of resorting to arrest.
Western governments, including France, have previously criticized Telegram’s content moderation policies, especially in comparison to other platforms like WhatsApp. Telegram, however, claims its moderation efforts are in line with industry standards and continuously improving.
This incident has further fueled the debate around the responsibilities of tech CEOs and how governments should regulate platforms that provide encrypted services.
