Pavel Durov, a Russian native and the founder of Telegram, is expected to attend a court hearing in France shortly, following his detention at Paris’ Le Bourget airport. This was precipitated by allegations linked with the operation of his messaging service. According to AFP news agency insiders, the Franco-Russian technological tycoon was apprehended by local enforcement after a warrant was issued in response to a series of allegations including fraud, drug smuggling, organised crime, terrorism advocacy and cyberbullying.
Durov has been accused of not addressing the illicit activities happening on his platform and was stopped upon his return from Baku, aboard his private jet. One detective’s comment was, “Telegram’s impunity has crossed its limits”, voicing the unexpectedness of Durov’s arrival at Paris, though he was aware of his status as a person of interest.
Russian officials have leveled accusations at France for their lack of cooperation. The Russian consulate in the French capital has requested to meet with Durov, implying that France had hitherto been avoiding matters concerning the situation.
Durov exited his homeland in 2014, rejecting Kremlin’s directive to restrict opposition groups on VK, a social networking site he set up at the age of 22. He later left VK following disagreements with its owners who had connections with the Kremlin. Subsequently, his attention diverted to Telegram, an app developed in collaboration with his brother, Nikolai, in 2013.
Initially, Telegram functioned similarly to conventional instant messaging apps, but it has since transformed to resemble a social network. Users not only interact individually, but also have the capacity to join groups hosting up to 200,000 members and set up broadcast “channels” for others to follow and comment on.
Appealing to 950 million active users per month, Telegram is now a prominent source of both valid news and misinformation concerning Russia’s intrusion into Ukraine.
Durov, a French and UAE citizen, resides in Dubai currently, which also serves as the home base for the messaging app Telegram. Before choosing to settle down there, he considered locations such as Berlin, London, Singapore, and San Francisco. He has found comfort in Dubai for both its business-friendly setting and its stance of neutrality.
The Telegram app, which houses end-to-end encryption messaging and the ability to create channels for sharing information with followers, experiences minimal content moderation pressure in the UAE. However, that isn’t the case in Western countries, where a battle against hate speech, disinformation, illicit content, and child abuse images is occurring.
Telegram boasts widespread popularity in ex-Soviet Union nations, with significant usage noted among political figures in Ukraine, including their president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, for updating the public about the ongoing conflict. Besides, it’s a reliable source of uncensored information about the war for Russian citizens, given tightened media controls following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Nonetheless, Telegram’s strong encryption has led to it becoming a sanctuary for extremists and conspiracy theorists. An investigation by the central European news site VSquare concluded that the app turned into an essential tool for Russian propaganda spreaders, including the far-left, far-right, and those that believe in American QAnon and conspiracy theories. According to these journalists, Telegram is facilitating and enhancing opinion radicalisation.
Whereas Durov left Russia, believing he won’t have to liaise with security services overseas, the former Russian president and current stern deputy head of Russia’s security council, Dmitry Medvedev, warns that Durov is “Russian”, which makes him unpredictable and dangerous.
US right-wing commentator and conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson labelled Durov as a cautionary example for platform owners who won’t censor truth due to government and intelligence agencies’ pressures, following Durov’s arrest.
In a conversation with Carlson earlier this year, Durov mentioned his intention for Telegram’s role was to serve as a “neutral platform”, rejecting any alignment with geopolitical plays. The idea to launch an encrypted messaging service sprouted after facing pressure from the Russian government when Durov worked at VK.
“He stated that users greatly value the autonomy provided by the Telegram app. Additionally, they appreciate the confidentiality and liberty it offers, presenting myriad reasons for someone to transition to Telegram,” he informed Carlson.
The affluent social media business magnate, Elon Musk, shared a snippet from the same interview where Durov was observed commending Musk’s acquisition of X as a significant progression, accompanied by the hashtag “FreePavel”. This was followed by a second tweet asserting, ‘Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!’
Regarding the detention, Robert F Kennedy Jr, who recently withdrew from his presidential pursuit to back Donald Trump, made this comment: “It has become increasingly crucial to defend the freedom of speech.”