Telegram Defends Compliance with EU Laws Amid CEO’s Arrest

Messaging app Telegram has stated that it fully complies with European Union (EU) laws, asserting that its content moderation practices align with industry norms. In a statement, Telegram emphasized, “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act – its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving.” The company also highlighted that its CEO, Pavel Durov, frequently travels within Europe, implying that there is nothing secretive about the platform’s operations.

Telegram’s statement follows the recent arrest of CEO Pavel Durov at a French airport by local authorities. The arrest reportedly stems from a criminal complaint regarding Telegram’s content moderation practices, which French law enforcement officials have criticized as being inadequate. Although a formal charge sheet has yet to be released, early media reports suggest that prosecutors may hold Durov and Telegram accountable for criminal activities that were allegedly organized or facilitated using the platform.

Telegram Defends Compliance with EU Laws Amid CEO’s Arrest

In response to these developments, Telegram defended its stance, arguing that it is unreasonable to hold a platform or its owner responsible for the misuse of the platform by its users. “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform,” Telegram said in a published statement. The company maintains that it is doing its best to improve moderation efforts and adhere to legal standards.

The Russian embassy in France has also intervened, seeking clarification from the French authorities regarding Durov’s detention. In a statement, the embassy noted, “After news appeared in the media about the detention of P.V. Durov, we immediately requested clarification from the French authorities regarding the reasons and demanded the protection of his rights and the provision of consular access. As of today, the French side has so far avoided cooperation on this issue.” This highlights a diplomatic angle to the unfolding situation, as Russian authorities are actively involved in advocating for Durov’s rights.

Telegram linked to a March 2024 post by Durov, where he had predicted potential challenges related to the company’s growth due to its content moderation policies. In that post, Durov expressed the belief that all major social media platforms face criticism over the content they host. He stated, “All large social media apps are easy targets for criticism due to the content they host. I can’t recall any major social platform whose moderation has been consistently praised by traditional media.” Durov drew a parallel with Meta, pointing out that despite facing negative media coverage over its moderation efforts, Meta reached a trillion-dollar valuation. “Telegram will likely have to go through similar growth stages before it surpasses legacy platforms,” he added.

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Durov’s arrest has drawn widespread attention, especially within the cryptocurrency community. Notably, Justin Sun, founder of Tron, expressed his support for Durov. Sun proposed a $1 million donation to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) that could work towards Durov’s release.

Meanwhile, Telegram-related cryptocurrencies have shown varied market reactions. Toncoin (TON), associated with Telegram, has mitigated its losses and is down by 2.45% on the day, as per data from CoinDesk Indices. This reflects the broader impact of the news on the financial ecosystem surrounding Telegram.

The unfolding events underscore the ongoing challenges that tech companies face regarding content moderation, legal compliance, and balancing user freedom with regulatory demands. As the situation develops, regulators and industry observers will scrutinize Telegram’s approach to content moderation and legal challenges.