Pavel Durov, co-founder and CEO of the messaging app Telegram, has been charged in France for allegedly enabling criminal activities on the platform. The charges include failure to respond to legal requests for user data related to cybercrime cases, complicity in offenses like child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and failure to register the platform’s encrypted messaging option with the French government. Durov’s bail is set at 5 million Euros and he is forbidden to leave France, awaiting trial. Durov, known for his free speech stance, has faced criticism for Telegram’s lack of content moderation and cooperation with law enforcement. This has led to the platform becoming a hub for child sexual abuse material. While Telegram claims to remove thousands of channels hosting such content, it does not allow reporting of illegal activity in private chats and has never given user information to any government. Durov’s arrest has sparked debate in tech and free speech circles. Some believe it is an attempt to control communications on the platform, while others see it as a necessary step to address criminal activities facilitated by Telegram. French President Emmanuel Macron clarified that Durov’s arrest was due to an ongoing judicial inquiry and not a political decision. Telegram has not yet commented on Durov’s indictment.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
French prosecutors charge Telegram CEO Pavel Durov
