YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — Telegram CEO Pavel Durov shared his thoughts following his detention in France, where he was held for four days by French authorities. Durov explained that the authorities questioned him about the misuse of Telegram by certain individuals and whether he could be held accountable for it. He expressed surprise at the detention, noting that Telegram has proper legal channels in place for handling law enforcement requests, which the French authorities seemingly overlooked.
In a detailed post, Durov clarified,
“I was told I may be personally responsible for other people’s illegal use of Telegram, because the French authorities didn’t receive responses from Telegram.”
Pavel Durov Addresses French Detention. Source: @durov
Durov Questions Detention Amid Ongoing Cooperation with Authorities
Durov’s arrest took place at Bourget Airport in Paris last month. He was reportedly held for four days while being questioned by the police regarding illegal activities on Telegram. Despite his personal involvement in cooperating with authorities over the years, including helping set up a hotline to combat terrorism threats in France, the authorities claimed they had not received adequate responses from Telegram regarding certain inquiries.
Official Press Release on Pavel Durov’s Arrest by Paris Prosecutor. Source: Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris
Durov explained that Telegram has a representative in the European Union specifically to handle requests from law enforcement, and these contact details have been publicly available. His detention raises questions about whether the right procedures were followed and why he, as the CEO, was directly targeted.
Durov Discusses Challenges of Balancing Privacy and Security
In his post, Durov reflected on the broader issue of balancing user privacy with security demands from governments. He pointed out the difficulty in finding the right balance between respecting privacy laws and responding to law enforcement requests.
“Establishing the right balance between privacy and security is not easy,”
Durov admitted. He emphasized that Telegram remains committed to user privacy but stays open to dialogue with regulators, as long as it upholds its principles.
For Telegram, operating across different countries means navigating various legal systems. Durov stressed the importance of maintaining consistent policies while dealing with complex legal environments and countries with weaker legal protections.
Pavel Durov Stands Firm on Privacy, Despite Bans in Russia and Iran
Durov pointed out Telegram’s strong history of protecting privacy. The platform faced bans in Russia and Iran as a result. Telegram refused to give encryption keys to Russian authorities. Similarly, it refused to block channels used by peaceful protesters in Iran. This led to bans in both countries.
Telegram’s focus on privacy has frequently clashed with government authorities. Despite this, Durov emphasized that the platform will remain true to its values. Even if it means losing access to certain markets, Telegram will continue to prioritize user privacy.
Durov Addresses Telegram’s Growth and Misuse Challenges
Durov noted that Telegram’s rapid growth has brought challenges. The platform now has over 950 million users. This expansion has made it harder to control misuse. However, Telegram is actively working to improve its internal processes. The goal is to address these issues more effectively.
“Telegram’s abrupt increase in user count to 950M caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform,”
Durov stated.
To combat this, Telegram is already removing millions of harmful posts and channels every day. The platform also continues to release transparency reports and collaborate with NGOs to speed up the process of addressing moderation requests.
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