Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested for 'lack of moderation' on app | World News

PTC Information Office: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is due to appear in court on Sunday after being arrested by French police at an airport near Paris. The 39-year-old Franco-Russian billionaire was arrested Saturday night at Le Bourget airport, located north of the French capital, according to sources who requested anonymity. Durov had arrived from Baku, Azerbaijan.

The arrest follows an investigation by OFMIN, the French Office for Combating Violence Against Minors. Durov is accused of fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and promoting terrorism. Authorities accuse him of failing to take measures to combat the misuse of his messaging platform, Telegram.

“Enough impunity for Telegram,” said one investigator, expressing surprise that Durov had gone to Paris while he was wanted.

Dubai-based Telegram is positioning itself as a privacy-focused alternative to American-owned messaging platforms that have been criticized for their handling of user data. The app prides itself on never disclosing user information.

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In a rare interview with far-right talk show host Tucker Carlson in April, Durov explained that he conceived the idea for an encrypted messaging service in response to pressure from the Russian government during his tenure at VK, a social network he founded and later sold before leaving Russia in 2014. He also discussed attempts to relocate to Berlin, London, Singapore and San Francisco before settling in Dubai, which he praised for its business-friendly environment and neutrality.

During the interview, Durov claimed that Telegram has more than 900 million active users. The platform’s choice to base itself in the UAE allowed it to avoid strict moderation laws in Western countries, which are increasingly putting pressure on tech companies to crack down on illegal content.

Telegram’s ability to host up to 200,000 members has drawn criticism that it facilitates the spread of disinformation and extremist content, including neo-Nazi, paedophile, conspiracy theories and terrorist content. By contrast, rival WhatsApp implemented global limits on messaging in 2019 after it was implicated in the spread of disinformation in India that led to lynchings.

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– With contributions from agencies