Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested by French authorities on Saturday evening at Le Bourget Airport, north of Paris, as he was disembarking from his private jet. Durov, 39, was detained under a warrant issued as part of a preliminary investigation into several alleged offences related to the operation of Telegram, including fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and the promotion of terrorism. The French agency Ofmin, responsible for preventing violence against minors, coordinated the investigation.
Telegram, founded by Durov in 2013, has grown to become one of the major social media platforms globally, with close to one billion users. The app is particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet Union states. It has been a significant platform for unfiltered content, especially during the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on his previous social media platform, VKontakte. His arrest in France has raised questions about the ongoing tensions between tech companies and government authorities over content moderation and user data privacy.
The Russian embassy in France is reportedly taking immediate steps to clarify the situation. Meanwhile, Telegram has not yet issued an official statement regarding Durov’s arrest. French authorities have also refrained from commenting further on the details of the investigation. Durov is expected to appear in court on August 25, where more information about the charges and the investigation may be revealed.
This arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of tech companies and their responsibilities in moderating content and preventing criminal activities on their platforms. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for Telegram and its operations worldwide.
#Reuters Tech News
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