Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of Telegram, has defended his company's practices and expressed surprise at the French authorities' actions following his arrest in France.
Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of Telegram, has defended his company's practices and expressed surprise at the French authorities' actions following his arrest in France. Durov was detained at Paris–Le Bourget Airport on August 25, facing charges related to the alleged use of Telegram for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, organized fraud, and distribution of child pornography.
In a public post on his Telegram channel, Durov refuted claims that Telegram was unresponsive to French authorities, stating, "Telegram has an official representative in the EU that accepts and replies to EU requests." Durov emphasized that reaching out to Telegram was as simple as a Google search for "Telegram EU address for law enforcement."
The CEO also highlighted other channels through which French authorities could have contacted him, including the French consulate in Dubai.
Addressing concerns about criminal activity on the platform, Durov pushed back against media portrayals of Telegram as an "anarchic paradise." He stated, "We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day." However, he acknowledged the challenges posed by Telegram's rapid growth to 950 million users, which he admitted had made it easier for criminals to abuse the platform.
The Telegram founder also addressed the company's stance on regulatory compliance. He mentioned Telegram's refusal to hand over encryption keys to Russia and its decision not to block channels of peaceful protesters in Iran, resulting in bans in both countries. Durov emphasized, "We are prepared to leave markets that aren't compatible with our principles, because we are not doing this for money."
As the investigation continues, Durov has been released on judicial supervision and is required to remain in France.
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