Russian-French billionaire Pavel Durov, CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was reportedly arrested at Bourget airport in Paris. He was traveling on his private jet and targeted by an arrest warrant in France. The investigation focused on the lack of moderators on Telegram, allowing criminal activity on the platform.
Known for its encryption and nearly one billion users, Telegram is a major social media platform in Russia, Ukraine, and former Soviet Union republics. Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing government demands to shut down opposition communities on his VKontakte platform.
During the 2022 Ukraine invasion, Telegram became a virtual battlefield for information, offering uncensored content. The app’s popularity has raised security concerns in Europe. Following Durov’s arrest, calls for protests at French embassies emerged, with backlash from Russian officials and Elon Musk.
Despite pressure from governments, Durov advocates for Telegram as a neutral platform. The situation surrounding his arrest is still developing, with the Russian embassy in Paris seeking clarification and Western NGOs demanding his release.
As the story unfolds, the implications of Durov’s detention highlight complex challenges at the intersection of technology, privacy, and geopolitics.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
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