Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov has been “detained” in France for allegedly failing to take measures to prevent criminal use of the messaging app.
Various rumors have been circulating about the investigation and the future of the app, including false suggestions that it will be removed from the App Store and automatically deleted from users' phones…
BBC News I will report.
Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov was arrested by French police at an airport north of Paris. French media said Durov was detained after landing at Le Bourget airport in his private jet.
According to authorities, the 39-year-old billionaire has an arrest warrant out for alleged crimes related to the popular messaging app. The investigation is reportedly about a lack of moderation, with Durov allegedly failing to take measures to curb criminal use of Telegram.
The app has been accused of failing to cooperate with law enforcement regarding drug trafficking, child sexual content and fraud.
Telegram was banned in Russia in 2018, but the ban was revoked in 2021.
The Russian government expressed concern over the arrests.
On Sunday, the Russian embassy in France posted on Facebook that it was calling for “clarification of the reasons for the detention, protection of Mr. Durov's rights and facilitating consular access.” The post added that French authorities were not cooperating with Russian authorities. […]
Several Russian officials have condemned the businessman's arrest as showing Western countries have double standards when it comes to freedom of speech and democracy.
Telegram tweeted a statement saying it complies with all EU laws.
Telegram complies with EU law, including the Digital Services Act, and its moderation is within industry standards and is constantly being improved.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently to Europe.
It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owners are responsible for the misuse of their platform.
Little is known about the investigation and there is much speculation.
for example, Reuters Sources suggest that the judge in charge of the investigation specializes in organized crime, and some claim that France has blocked Russian embassy officials from visiting him for consular assistance.
False reports of being removed from the App Store
There have been false reports that Telegram has been removed from the App Store and will be automatically deleted from users' phones.
The graphics attached to these posts are fake Facebook posts dating back to 2021, likely originating from the 2018 Russian ban.
Photo by Adem AY on Unsplash
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