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Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov recently made his first public statements following allegations from French authorities that he facilitated illegal activity on the messaging platform. In a Telegram message posted late Thursday, Durov expressed his disbelief at being targeted by the French court probe and argued that holding a CEO personally responsible for crimes committed by third parties on the platform is unjust.
Durov emphasized the challenges of building and maintaining technology, stating that innovation would be stifled if innovators feared personal liability for the misuse of their tools. He acknowledged that while Telegram is not an “anarchic paradise,” the platform has experienced growth that inadvertently made it easier for criminals to exploit it. Durov pledged to address this issue by taking steps to improve safety and security on the platform.
The Telegram CEO’s statements come in response to his detention by French authorities at Le Bourget airport near Paris in late August. Following four days of questioning, Durov was released on 5 million euros bail and must report to police twice a week. Despite being originally from Russia, Durov holds French citizenship, which has made him subject to the legal proceedings initiated by French authorities.
The allegations against Durov include accusations that Telegram is used for trafficking drugs and child sexual abuse content, and that the platform fails to cooperate with law enforcement requests for information. Durov refuted these claims, stating that he was surprised to learn he could be held personally responsible for the actions of Telegram users. He highlighted the existence of public channels for reporting illegal content and contacting Telegram for assistance, indicating that the platform is compliant with EU regulations regarding data disclosure.
Durov also noted that French authorities had multiple avenues for reaching out to him to request cooperation, including an established hotline for addressing terrorist threats in France. He asserted that the standard practice for addressing concerns with internet services is to engage in legal proceedings rather than targeting individual executives.
In response to the allegations and legal actions taken against him, Durov reiterated his commitment to improving the safety and security of Telegram. He pledged to work internally to address the challenges faced by the platform and shared his intention to provide updates on these efforts in the near future.
Overall, Durov’s first public statements since the incident shed light on his perspective regarding the allegations brought against him and his dedication to upholding the integrity of Telegram as a messaging platform. Despite facing legal challenges, Durov remains steadfast in his commitment to addressing criminal misuse of technology while fostering innovation and user safety.
