- Telegram founder and CEO was arrested on August 24, 2024.
- On Friday, he launched his first assertion on Telegram since his detainment, calling the actions taken by the French authorities “misguided”.
- He additional added that they need to have charged the corporate as an alternative of straight charging him.
Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov have referred to as his detainment by French authorities “misguided”. He added that they need to have approached his firm with no matter complaints that they had as an alternative of detaining him.
Early on Friday, he shared his first public publish on his Telegram channel saying “If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself.”
In reality, he has already arrange a hotline for the authorities that they might have used to succeed in the corporate’s authorized representatives within the EU with any of their issues. But as an alternative, they selected to cost the CEO.
He feels that this sort of conduct will hinder innovation. After all, constructing new tech is difficult sufficient. Now if the builders are held accountable for the potential misuse of their instruments by different individuals, that’s merely unfair.
As it occurred in his case, Durov was informed that he was “personally” accountable for unlawful use of Telegram.
Durov additionally denied the allegation that Telegram is an “anarchic paradise”. In reality, Telegram reportedly takes down tens of millions of dangerous channels and posts each day.
More About Durov’s Arrest
On July 8, the French authorities opened an investigation towards Telegram on prices of organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, and the distribution of pornographic photographs of minors on Telegram.
Then, on August 24, 2024, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant towards Pavel Durov.
Durov’s arrest triggered a variety of controversy, with many calling it an try on France’s half to curb freedom of speech.
- The predominant criticism got here from Russia the place Durov was born. And though he’s now a French and UAE citizen, Russia nonetheless considers him as a citizen which is why it’s so involved about his arrest.
- Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, additionally added that France has made some severe accusations towards Durov however is but to again them up with any proof and with out that, this transfer might be seen as a direct act of intimidation or an try to restrict freedom of speech.
French President Emmanuel Macron needed to make clear on X that this was neither a political transfer nor an try to curb freedom of speech. This is simply an unbiased investigation into Telegram.
Problems With Telegram
Although Durov is correct about France’s misguided strategy i.e. they most likely ought to have charged Telegram as an organization as an alternative of straight arresting him, it’s arduous to disregard that Telegram is certainly problematic.
- Durov has all the time marketed it as an uncensored platform that helps free speech which suggests it has fewer content material guidelines in comparison with different platforms.
- Without any strict coverage in place, customers can simply share unlawful content material similar to little one porn.
- Also, Telegram permits individuals to stay nameless and have safe, encrypted conversations with out interference from the authorities. This has made it more durable for criminals to be apprehended.
Maybe Durov’s intentions have been noble and it has actually helped customers who’re caught in authoritarian regimes like Iran and Hong Kong however criminals have certainly exploited it for their very own greed. Thus, France has a degree – Telegram and its insurance policies want to alter.
Durov agrees with this and says on the finish of his assertion that “he has heard the voices” that he’s not doing sufficient. Hence, he has made it his private mission to enhance safety on the platform.
The course of has already began internally. For occasion, in a publish shared by Musk on X, we are able to see that Telegram has quietly eliminated the clause that “All Telegram chats and group chats are private amongst their participants. We do not process any requests related to them.” from its FAQs part.
