25-8-2024 (PARIS) Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, is set to appear before a French court following his unexpected arrest at a Paris airport. The tech mogul’s detention has sent shockwaves through the digital world and raised questions about the responsibilities of social media platforms in the face of criminal activities.
Durov, a Franco-Russian billionaire, was apprehended by police at Le Bourget airport after arriving from Baku on his private jet late Saturday evening. Sources close to the matter revealed to AFP that French investigators had issued a warrant for Durov’s arrest as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into allegations including fraud, drug trafficking, organised crime, promotion of terrorism, and cyberbullying.
The arrest stems from accusations that Durov failed to take adequate measures to curb criminal activities on his platform. One investigator, expressing surprise at Durov’s decision to fly to Paris despite being a wanted man, stated, “Enough of Telegram’s impunity.”
The incident has sparked diplomatic tension, with Russian authorities accusing France of “refusing to cooperate”. The Russian embassy in Paris has requested access to Durov, claiming that France has thus far “avoided engagement” on the matter.
Durov’s journey to this point has been marked by conflict with authorities. In 2014, he left Russia after refusing to comply with Kremlin demands to shut down opposition groups on VK, the social network he founded at age 22. Following a dispute with VK’s Kremlin-linked owners, Durov shifted his focus to Telegram, which he co-founded with his brother Nikolai in 2013.
Telegram has since evolved from a simple messaging app into a complex social network, boasting 950 million active monthly users. It has become a significant source of information—and misinformation—particularly regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The platform’s end-to-end encryption and broadcast channels have made it popular among diverse groups, from political leaders to extremists and conspiracy theorists. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his circle frequently use Telegram to disseminate war-related information, while it remains one of the few sources of unfiltered news for Russians amidst tightened media controls.
However, Telegram’s apparent impenetrability has also made it a haven for extremists. Investigative journalists have described it as an “ecosystem for the radicalisation of opinion”, while anti-racism groups have labelled it a “cesspit of antisemitic content” with minimal moderation.
Durov, who holds citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, has previously defended Telegram as a “neutral platform” that should not be “a player in geopolitics”. He has praised Dubai, where Telegram is based, for its business environment and “neutrality”.
The arrest has elicited responses from various quarters. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev suggested Durov had miscalculated by fleeing Russia, while US commentator Tucker Carlson described him as “a living warning to any platform owner who refuses to censor the truth at the behest of governments and intel agencies”.
