Why in news?

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested in Paris recently on charges related to the alleged use of his messaging platform for illicit activities, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse material.

What’s in today’s article?

• Telegram
• France’s case against Telegram and Durov
• Response of the event

Telegram

• Founded by
  • Telegram was founded in 2013 by Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai.
  • Before creating Telegram, Durov founded VKontakte, Russia's largest social network, but sold his stake and left Russia in 2014 after facing pressure from the Russian government to censor and hand over data on opposition activists.
  • Telegram is now based in Dubai, which Durov considers a neutral location that supports the platform's commitment to user privacy and freedom of speech.
• About
  • Telegram is a messaging app that allows for one-on-one conversations, group chats, and large channels for broadcasting messages.
  • Unlike WhatsApp, which limits group chats to 1,024 participants, Telegram allows up to 200,000 people in a group, raising concerns about the spread of misinformation.
  • While Telegram offers end-to-end encryption, this feature is not enabled by default and does not apply to group chats, unlike competitors like Signal and Facebook Messenger, which encrypt chats by default.
  • Only Telegram's "secret chat" feature provides end-to-end encryption. With over 950 million active users, Telegram is widely used in France, including by government officials.
  • However, it has also been utilized by extremists and drug traffickers.

France’s case against Telegram and Durov

• Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport in connection with accusations against Telegram for complicity in drug trafficking, terrorism support, and cyberstalking.
• Telegram’s strong privacy features have enabled some users to conduct illegal activities, such as selling drugs and committing online scams.
• An investigation was launched after 12 alleged violations, with Durov reportedly refusing to cooperate, leading to an arrest warrant.
• Security agencies had quietly begun investigating Telegram for the dissemination of child pornography, with additional charges added later.
• Telegram's policy is to take down illegal content but resists politically motivated censorship.

Response of the event

• Durov's Arrest and Russian-Western Relations
  • Pavel Durov’s arrest has strained relations between Russia and the West.
  • Russian officials, including the Kremlin, have condemned the detention as politically motivated and a double standard on freedom of speech.
  • The Russian Embassy in Paris reported that consular access to Durov was denied.
• Tension Between Governments and Tech Companies
  • Durov’s arrest highlights ongoing conflicts between governments and tech companies over balancing free speech with regulating illegal activities.
  • Critics, including Edward Snowden, have condemned the French government for perceived overreach, calling the arrest an attack on basic human rights.
• Durov’s Neutrality Stance
  • Durov has consistently advocated for Telegram to remain a neutral platform, resisting pressure from governments to engage in geopolitics.
  • He has highlighted the platform's commitment to privacy and free speech.
• Parallels with Other Tech Giants
  • The situation with Telegram mirrors actions against other tech companies like Meta and X (formerly Twitter).
  • Governments have increasingly clashed with these platforms over the regulation of harmful content.
  • Notably, in Brazil, X shut down operations after refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order, citing transparency and free speech concerns.
  • In India, WhatsApp faced pressure to address fake news but refused to compromise user privacy by revealing message sources.