Telegram CEO and founder, Pavel Durov, has criticized French authorities for his recent arrest, describing the move as “misguided.” The arrest, which occurred on August 25 at an airport near Paris, came in response to allegations regarding Telegram’s insufficient moderation of illicit content, including drug trafficking, fraud, and child abuse imagery.
In his first public statement since the incident, Durov denied claims that Telegram is an “anarchic paradise” for criminal activity, calling these accusations “absolutely untrue.” He emphasized that the platform removes millions of harmful posts and channels daily, adding that any legal concerns should target the service rather than the CEO personally.
Durov pointed out that holding him responsible for the actions of third parties using the platform is a “surprising” and outdated approach, especially given Telegram’s compliance with European regulations and its designated representative within the EU. He acknowledged that Telegram, which has grown to 950 million users, faces challenges from criminals exploiting its services but vowed to improve moderation efforts.
This arrest comes amid increasing scrutiny of Telegram for hosting extremist content, with critics claiming its moderation systems lag behind other social media platforms. Durov remains committed to addressing these concerns while defending the platform’s role in maintaining privacy and free speech.
Telegram, founded in 2013, is one of the world’s leading messaging apps and is especially popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states.
