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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Admits Criminals Can Abuse Platform

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Kurt Robson
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Key Takeaways

  • Pavel Durov has slammed his arrest by French authorities as “misguided.”
  • The Telegram CEO has denied claims his app is an “anarchic paradise.”
  • Durov admitted to criminals using the messaging app.

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has slammed French authorities, calling his arrest last week over lackluster moderation on his messaging app “misguided.”

In his first public statement since being detained, shared on Telegram, Durov denied claims that Telegram was an “anarchic paradise” and said it was “surprising” that he could be held personally responsible. 

Pavel Durov Slams Arrest 

The Russian-born CEO said the investigation into Telegram was surprising, as French authorities had access to a “hotline” he had helped set up.

He alleges they could have contacted Telegram’s EU representative whenever they liked. 

“If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself,” Durov wrote on Telegram. 

“Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach.”

Durov said the claims “in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue.”

The CEO added that the platform takes down “millions of harmful posts and channels every day.”

Telegram Can Be Used by Criminals, Durov Admits

Telegram, which Durov founded in 2013, is ranked as one of the world’s leading social media platforms, alongside industry heavyweights such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok. 

Some regulators have criticized the application, arguing that Telegram’s large group allowance, up to 200,000 members, makes it easier for misinformation to spread. 

Durov admitted that the application is “not perfect” and said the dramatic increase in user count to 950 million “caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.”

“That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard, he wrote. “We’ve already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon.”

Telegram CEO Faces Severe Charges 

The comments come after Durov was arrested at a Paris airport in late August following an escalation of the French authorities investigation into Telegram. 

Durov was detained and held in judicial custody for 96 hours before being brought before a French court to face a series of serious allegations.

The French authorities levied 12 charges against the billionaire founder, which included failure to comply with authorities, failure to stop drug trafficking and child pornography on the messaging platform, and more. 

Durov was released from detention on a 5 million euro bail, subject to the condition that the CEO remain in the country and report to a police station twice a week. 

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Kurt Robson

Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN with a diverse background across several prominent news outlets. Having transitioned into the world of technology journalism several years ago, Kurt has developed a keen fascination with all things AI. Kurt’s reporting blends a passion for innovation with a commitment to delivering insightful, accurate and engaging stories on the cutting edge of technology.
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