Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, has spoken out for the first time since his detention in France, denying accusations that the messaging app serves as a haven for criminal activities. Durov was arrested in connection with crimes related to child sexual abuse images, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions associated with the app.
Although he has refuted the claims, Durov has also promised to make significant changes to the platform’s moderation policies, which have been heavily criticized in the past.
The detention of Durov, who is a French citizen, took place in August following an investigation into alleged crimes involving Telegram. Despite avoiding incarceration, Durov was released on a €5 million bail and required to check in with the police biweekly while remaining in France.
In response to his detention, Durov criticized the French authorities for not directly addressing the concerns with the company instead of charging him personally. He argued that holding a CEO accountable for crimes committed by third parties on the platform using outdated laws is not the appropriate approach. Durov highlighted that Telegram has mechanisms in place for handling requests, including a dedicated representative for the EU region and a hotline, which were accessible to the French authorities.
In a statement posted on his Telegram channel, Durov admitted that Telegram has struggled to keep up with its rapid growth, making it easier for criminals to exploit the platform. Despite the overwhelming majority of users being law-abiding citizens, the small percentage engaging in illicit activities tarnish the platform’s reputation, jeopardizing the interests of nearly a billion users.
Durov defended Telegram’s principles and commitment to user privacy, citing instances where the platform refused to comply with authoritarian governments’ demands, such as providing encryption keys for surveillance in Russia. He emphasized that Telegram prioritizes principles over profits and is willing to exit markets that contradict its values.
Acknowledging the imperfections within Telegram, Durov acknowledged the need for improvement in handling law enforcement requests and removing harmful content. He committed to revamping the company’s moderation policies, including eliminating features associated with illegal activities. Concrete steps have already been taken, such as disabling media uploads to Telegraph and removing the People Nearby feature.
Despite the challenges faced by Telegram, Durov expressed optimism that the recent events would ultimately lead to a strengthened platform and a safer social media industry as a whole. He hopes that the events of August will contribute to making Telegram and the broader social networking sector more secure and resilient.