CEO and creator of Telegram Pavel Durov was detained by French police outside of Paris, but the company claims he has “nothing to hide.”
Telegram’s Response
In an anonymous statement published on Sunday to its official channel within the Telegram app, the firm states that “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Several media sources have received confirmation from French authorities that Durov was detained as a result of a police probe into illicit conduct occurring on the social network.
Telegram is not encrypted by default, but because of its laissez-faire moderation policy, many people view the app as a private, censorship-free substitute for other social networks. According to a statement from the firm, “nearly a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information.” “We’re hoping for a swift resolution to this matter.”
Impact of Conflict on Durov’s Situation
The continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has also been greatly aided by Telegram, with the latter country seemingly quite interested in Durov’s fate. The Russian Embassy in Paris claims that Durov, who was born in Russia and is a citizen of both France and the United Arab Emirates, the country where Telegram is based, has not been allowed entry by the French authorities.
Telegram aims to be a “neutral” platform, according to Durov, who stated as much in an uncommon April interview with Tucker Carlson, defying calls from governments to moderate. He claimed that he generally avoids visiting “big, geopolitical” nations where the business is the focus of “too much attention.” “I travel to locations where I am confident that they align with our values and what we do.”
Pavel Durov’s detention highlights the growing tension between tech platforms like Telegram and global authorities over content moderation. As Telegram’s influence expands, this incident may set a precedent for governments addressing the balance between free speech and platform responsibility.
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