Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been charged by French authorities for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the messaging app, Telegram. The Russian-born billionaire, who holds French citizenship, avoided jail by posting a €5 million bail. He is required to report to a police station twice a week and remain in France, as stated by Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
Durov, 39, faces charges including complicity in the distribution of child sexual exploitation material and other illegal activities allegedly facilitated by Telegram. He was detained at Le Bourget Airport near Paris on Saturday on suspicion of failing to moderate illicit content on the platform, such as child sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, and fraud. His arrest has sparked a debate about the responsibilities of tech platforms in moderating content and balancing free speech.
French cybercrime and fraud investigators revealed that Durov's arrest is part of a broader investigation into Telegram's failure to moderate criminal activities on its platform. In response, Telegram stated that it complies with European Union regulations and maintains that its moderation is "within industry standards and constantly improving." The company defended its CEO, saying it is "absurd to claim that a platform, or its owner, are responsible for abuse of that platform."
Durov, who also holds citizenship in the United Arab Emirates, currently resides in Dubai, where Telegram is based. He has often portrayed himself as a libertarian and a staunch advocate for minimal moderation and free speech, which has led to the app being used by various illicit groups, including terrorists, drug traffickers, and extremists.
Despite his stance on free speech, Durov has stated in a rare interview with the Financial Times that child abuse content and public incitement to violence are "red lines" for Telegram. However, the platform's moderation policies and commitment to user privacy have placed it under intense scrutiny from global law enforcement agencies.
Durov has managed to stay relatively low-profile compared to other tech CEOs like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. He left Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition groups on the VK social network, which he founded but was later forced to sell. He then focused on building Telegram with his brother Nikolai, which has since grown to nearly 1 billion users.
While Durov has presented himself as a Russian exile, records show he visited Russia over 50 times between 2015 and 2021, raising questions about his connections to the Kremlin. Russian officials have dismissed his arrest as politically motivated, an allegation denied by French President Emmanuel Macron. Reports also suggest that Durov had previously met with Macron before receiving French citizenship in 2021, under a special program for those considered to have made significant contributions to France.
The arrest has raised questions about the future of Telegram and its regulation, particularly in terms of how far governments can go in holding platform owners accountable for the content shared by users.
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