The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, addressed his recent arrest in France publicly for the first time, acknowledging that the platform’s rapid growth to 950 million users led to “growing pains” that enabled criminal misuse. French authorities arrested Durov on August 24 at Le Bourget Airport near Paris as part of an investigation into Telegram’s role in criminal activities, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse material. The lack of content moderation on the platform was linked to these issues, resulting in Durov being charged with helping manage an online platform that facilitated illegal activities by organized groups. The case has sparked debates on free speech, privacy, and the responsibility of tech CEOs in managing platform content.
In a post on Telegram, Durov shared that French authorities warned him he could be held personally responsible for others’ misuse of the platform due to Telegram’s lack of response to their inquiries. Despite having an official EU representative managing and answering inquiries from the EU, Durov found it surprising that he could be held personally liable for the platform’s misuse. He criticized the strategy behind his arrest, arguing against holding a CEO responsible for third-party offenses on the platform, emphasizing that no innovator would want to build new tools if they could be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.
Durov mentioned that Telegram actively cooperates with EU demands and removes millions of harmful posts daily, but admitted that the platform is not perfect. He plans to improve the platform’s handling of harmful content and simplify the process for authorities to submit requests through the app. If convicted on all charges, Durov could face up to 20 years in prison, based on the strictest interpretations of the law, for facilitating illegal activities on Telegram. However, factors such as acquittal on some charges, potential plea deals, or the judge’s discretion in sentencing could lighten his sentence.
Currently, Durov is out on a €5 million bail and cannot leave France until at least March 2025. Despite not being imprisoned, his freedom is significantly restricted as he awaits further legal proceedings. The case has raised international concerns about internet regulation and free speech, as well as the responsibility of tech CEOs in managing their platforms to prevent abuse and illegal activities. The outcome of Durov’s case will likely influence discussions on the accountability of tech executives for user misconduct on their platforms and how platform moderation and content management should be handled to ensure user safety and compliance with regulations.
