Telegram, the popular messaging app known for its hands-off approach to moderation, has responded to the arrest of its CEO and founder, Pavel Durov, by French authorities outside Paris.
The Verge Reports Telegram, a messaging app known for its hands-off moderation policy, responded to Durov’s arrest on Sunday through a post on its official app channel. The company declared that Durov has nothing to hide and argued that it is unjust to hold the platform or its owners responsible for alleged abuses by its users. French authorities confirmed to multiple media outlets that the arrest is linked to an ongoing criminal investigation into illegal activities taking place on the Telegram network.
Breitbart News previously reported on Pavel’s arrest:
Durov was arrested on a warrant related to “various violations of encrypted messaging services,” it said. Report by Le MondeThe 39-year-old, who gained French citizenship in 2021, is due to appear in court on Sunday.
French authorities have accused Durov of a “lack of moderation” regarding Telegram, the messaging app that has reportedly come under attack in Europe for “spreading disinformation.”
“As the European Union and the United States pressure major platforms to remove illegal content, Telegram has protected itself from national moderation rules.” Le Monde Reported.
France’s Office for Combating Violence Against Minors (OFMIN) issued the warrant as part of an investigation into “a range of crimes, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, glorifying terrorism and fraud,” sources told the French newspaper.
“We’ve had enough of Telegram’s impunity,” the French investigator said.
With roughly 1 billion users worldwide, Telegram is considered by many to be a more censorship-resistant and privacy-enhancing option than other social platforms, even though it doesn’t encrypt messages by default. Telegram’s statement highlighted the important role its service plays in enabling communication and access to information for its vast user base. The company said it hopes the situation will be resolved quickly.
Durov’s native Russia has also taken note of the arrest, with the Russian embassy in Paris alleging that French authorities had refused to contact Telegram’s founder, who has dual French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, and Telegram is based in the UAE.
In a rare interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov said Telegram aims to remain neutral and avoid government requests to moderate its content. He said he generally avoids traveling to major countries embroiled in geopolitical issues where Telegram faces intense scrutiny, preferring places that align with the company’s values and mission. Telegram has played a key role in spreading information during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Learn more The Verge is here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
