Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Responds to Arrest in France, Defends Platform Amidst Misuse Accusations

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov finally broke his silence following his recent arrest in France. In his first public statement, Durov acknowledged Telegram’s challenges. However, he defended his stance against being held personally responsible for its misuse. He was arrested by French authorities from the airport near Paris on August 25 due to criminal activity on Telegram, including child sexual abuse material, fraud, and drug sales.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Addresses Misuse Accusations Following Arrest in France

Speaking on Telegram, Durov shared his surprise and frustration at the arrest. He explained:

“Last month I was interviewed by police for four days after arriving in Paris. I was told I may be personally responsible for other people’s illegal use of Telegram”

He acknowledged that Telegram is not without flaws. However, it is unfair to hold him personally accountable for criminal activities that occur on the platform. Furthermore, he highlighted that Telegram takes down millions of harmful posts daily. According to him, the platform has been continually improving its systems to address abuse. However, he expressed disappointment with French authorities. He stated that they should have communicated directly with his company rather than targeting him personally. He further explained that no innovator will ever create new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for the potential abuse of those tools.

According to the Russian-born entrepreneur, Telegram has a designated EU representative and a public email address for law enforcement requests. He also underlined his cooperation with French authorities, particularly his role in setting up a terrorism hotline through Telegram. Despite these efforts, French prosecutors blamed Telegram for a lack of response to their requests.

Durov acknowledged that there are 950 million users on Telegram, some of which tried to exploit the platform. However, he vowed to make it his personal mission to handle these issues. Furthermore, he assured users that improvements were on the way. In closing, Durov expressed gratitude for the support he’s received, noting:

“Thanks again for your love and memes 🙏.”

We hope that Telegram will continue to safeguard fundamental rights while working to curb misuse. Stay tuned for more updates.

Check Out: phoneworld.com.pk/telegram-defends-compliance-with-eu-laws-amid-ceos-arrest/