Telegram founder arrested in France following investigations over platform misuse

Shafaq News/ Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, is set to appear before a French court on Sunday after being detained in Paris the previous day under a warrant issued by French investigators.

The arrest has sparked widespread debate over the platform’s role in enabling illegal activities.

What Happened?

According to reports by Agence France-Presse (AFP) and French television channels TF1 and BFM, Durov, who also serves as the CEO of Telegram, was apprehended at Paris-Le Bourget Airport on Saturday evening.

The investigation centers on Telegram's lack of content moderation, which has allegedly allowed criminal activities to continue unchecked on the platform.

What is Telegram?

Telegram was founded in 2013 by Pavel Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur who holds French citizenship, alongside his brother Nikolai. The app has since grown to become one of the major social media platforms, competing with giants like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and WeChat. Telegram boasts around a billion users globally and is known for its end-to-end encryption, which ensures that user communications remain private.

The app is widely used in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states. Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition groups on his earlier social media platform, VKontakte (VK), which he later sold.

In 2018, Russia began blocking Telegram after the app refused to comply with a court order demanding that the state security services be granted access to users' encrypted communications. While the ban disrupted many third-party services, it had little effect on Telegram's availability in Russia. The official ban triggered mass protests in Moscow and criticism from NGOs.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Telegram has become a primary source of uncensored—and at times misleading—content regarding the war. Analysts have referred to it as a "virtual battlefield" for the ongoing conflict. The platform has also been one of the few outlets through which Russians can access independent news about the war, as the Kremlin has intensified its crackdown on independent media.

Durov, whose net worth is estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes, has stated that despite pressures from various governments, Telegram should remain a "neutral platform" rather than a "player on the geopolitical stage."

With Telegram’s growing popularity, several European countries, including France, have begun scrutinizing the platform due to security concerns and fears of data breaches.

Why is Durov Facing Legal Issues?

The Office for Combating Violence Against Minors (Ofmin) in Paris issued a search warrant for Durov, citing his role as a coordinator in an initial investigation into crimes ranging from fraud to drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, terrorism, and fraud. According to a source familiar with the case who spoke to AFP, the investigation has since evolved into a judicial inquiry led by the cybercrime unit of France's national judiciary for combating organized crime.

French authorities have criticized Durov for not taking action against harmful uses of Telegram by its subscribers, particularly in the absence of content moderation and cooperation with investigators.

In April, Durov revealed that he conceived the idea for Telegram after facing intense pressure from Russian authorities over his earlier social media platform, VK. After selling VK and leaving Russia, Durov attempted to settle in Berlin, London, Singapore, and San Francisco before ultimately choosing Dubai, which he praised for its business environment and "neutrality."

According to Le Figaro, Telegram thrived in Dubai while the European Union and the United States applied pressure on major platforms to remove illegal content. However, the potential for spreading false information, hate speech, or child exploitation material increased with Telegram's group chats, which can host up to 200,000 participants.

What Have Been the Reactions?

Russia’s representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, along with other Russian politicians, quickly condemned France's actions as "dictatorial practices," echoing the criticism Moscow faced when it banned Telegram in 2018.

American billionaire Elon Musk, the owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter), commented on reports of Durov’s arrest, stating, "In 2030 in Europe, you will be executed for liking a post."