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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has broken his silence following accusations from French authorities that he is enabling illegal activities on the messaging platform. In his first public statements since the charges were made, Durov vowed to combat criminal behavior on Telegram and expressed his disbelief at being targeted by the French court probe.
In a message shared on Telegram late Thursday, Durov defended himself against the allegations, arguing that he should not be held responsible for the actions of third parties using the platform for illicit purposes. He criticized the use of outdated legislation to try and punish him for crimes committed by users of the platform, stating that innovators should not be held personally liable for how their tools are misused.
Durov emphasized that while Telegram is not a lawless space, the rapid growth in user numbers has made it easier for criminals to exploit the platform. He acknowledged the challenges faced by the company in addressing these issues and pledged to take significant steps to improve the situation. “So I made it my personal aim to dramatically improve things in this aspect. We’ve begun that internally, and I’ll update you shortly,” he said.
The Russian-born CEO was detained by French authorities at Le Bourget airport near Paris in late August and questioned for four days as part of an ongoing investigation. Durov, who is a French citizen, was released on 5 million euros bail and must report to the police twice a week. The charges against him include allegations that Telegram is being used for drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse content, as well as accusations that the company has refused to cooperate with law enforcement.
Durov refuted these claims, stating that Telegram has mechanisms in place for handling reports of illegal material and for communicating with authorities. He highlighted the fact that the platform has a public email contact for an EU representative to address queries, as well as a bot on its website for users to report unlawful content. Additionally, Telegram provides contact information for “competent authorities of the EU and EU members” and states that requests from other entities will not be processed.
In response to the French authorities’ allegations, Durov pointed out that they had multiple avenues for requesting assistance from Telegram, including a hotline established to address terrorism threats in France. He expressed surprise at the accusations against him and reiterated that if a country is dissatisfied with an internet service, the standard procedure is to take legal action against the service itself.
As the founder and CEO of one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms, Durov faces significant scrutiny and pressure to address concerns about criminal activity on Telegram. Despite the challenges, he remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of the platform’s users and to working with authorities to address any issues that may arise.
In conclusion, Pavel Durov’s recent public statements shed light on the complexities of managing a global messaging service and the challenges faced by tech companies in dealing with illegal activity on their platforms. While the accusations made by French authorities have put him in the spotlight, Durov remains steadfast in his commitment to improving the situation on Telegram and upholding the company’s values of privacy and security for all users.
