Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Denies Wrongdoing After Arrest

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has publicly criticized his recent arrest in France as 'misguided,' asserting that authorities should have reached out to the company instead of detaining him. Durov faces allegations that his platform was used for illegal activities, including child sexual abuse and drug trafficking, but he insists that Telegram actively removes millions of harmful posts daily. He argued that holding a CEO personally responsible for third-party misuse of their platform is an outdated approach, emphasizing that legal actions should be directed at the service itself, not individuals. Durov acknowledged the challenges posed by Telegram's rapid growth to 950 million users, which may have facilitated criminal activity, but he reaffirmed his commitment to improving the platform's moderation efforts. Following his release on €5 million bail, he maintained that claims of Telegram being an 'anarchic paradise' are false. Durov's case highlights the ongoing tension between tech companies and governmental expectations regarding content moderation.