Telegram has stated that its CEO, Pavel Durov, has “nothing to hide” following his unexpected arrest in France. Durov was detained at Le Bourget Airport, just north of Paris, on Saturday. The arrest reportedly stems from a warrant connected to Telegram’s moderation policies, with accusations that Durov failed to take adequate steps to curb illegal activities on the platform.
The investigation centers on Telegram’s alleged lack of cooperation with law enforcement agencies. The app has been scrutinized for insufficient efforts to prevent drug trafficking, child sexual exploitation, and fraud across its platform. Critics argue that Telegram has not done enough to moderate its vast user base, which allows groups of up to 200,000 members, enabling the spread of harmful content.
In response, Telegram has rejected the claims, asserting that its moderation practices meet industry standards and are continuously improving. The company emphasized in its statement that it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Telegram also pointed out that Durov’s frequent travel across Europe is in full compliance with European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act, which enforces transparency and safety for online platforms.
Durov’s detention has sparked reactions across the globe, particularly in Russia, where Telegram enjoys significant popularity. Telegram was briefly banned in Russia in 2018 after Durov refused to hand over encrypted user data to authorities. The ban was reversed in 2021, but Russian officials have continued to monitor the platform’s activities. Now, the Russian foreign ministry is actively involved in trying to resolve Durov’s case, despite not having received a formal request from Durov’s representatives. The Russian Embassy in France has also called out French authorities for not fully cooperating.
Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry’s spokeswoman, took to Telegram to question whether Western human rights organizations would remain silent on Durov’s arrest. Her comments reignited the debate over the West’s stance on freedom of speech and online moderation, particularly given the backlash Telegram faced when Russian authorities tried to restrict its operations in 2018.
The arrest also drew attention from global figures like American whistleblower Edward Snowden, who condemned the situation as an “assault on the basic human rights of speech and association.” Social media magnate Elon Musk joined the conversation, using his platform to show support for Durov, with posts such as “#freepavel” and critiques of Europe’s handling of free speech.
While Telegram continues to maintain a dominant presence in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet Union states, it faces increased scrutiny in the West. In the UK, for example, Telegram was recently criticized for hosting far-right channels that helped organize violent protests in several cities. Although Telegram did remove some groups following the unrest, cybersecurity experts argue that its moderation system is still significantly weaker than those of other platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
As Durov’s detention could be extended for up to 96 hours, Telegram has reiterated its commitment to maintaining open communication with law enforcement while safeguarding user privacy. The company remains optimistic that the situation will be resolved swiftly, but for now, the controversy over Telegram’s role in moderating content is far from over.
For more details, read the full report on BBC News.
