Telegram CEO and founder Pavel Durov has publicly condemned his recent arrest at Le Bourget Airport near Paris as a "misguided approach" to addressing alleged content moderation failures on the platform. Detained on 24 August 2024, Durov faces scrutiny from French authorities investigating Telegram's role in facilitating criminal activities due to perceived inadequate moderation.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Durov expressed surprise at his arrest and criticized the notion that a CEO should be held responsible for third-party misuse of their platform. He argued that applying outdated laws to modern digital platforms is an ineffective strategy.
Durov mentioned Telegram's proactive efforts to cooperate with French authorities, including the establishment of a hotline to address terrorism-related issues, and emphasised the platform’s commitment to global regulatory engagement.
Durov also defended Telegram's stance against government overreach, recounting instances where the company resisted demands from Russia and Iran for surveillance and censorship, which led to bans in those countries.
Despite acknowledging the challenges posed by Telegram's rapid user growth to nearly 950 million, he reiterated that the platform actively moderates harmful content, publishes transparency reports, and maintains direct communication channels with NGOs for urgent matters.
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