Pointing out where Pavel Durov went wrong with Telegram

Pavel Durov, the brains behind Telegram, has spent the last decade building his app as a place where anyone could say anything without worrying about government censorship. 

He proudly claimed that “in some markets, Telegram is one of the few remaining free platforms where people can express themselves,” in an interview earlier this year.

This was Pavel’s first interview in seven years, where he bragged about how protesters, human rights activists, and refugees all flocked to Telegram as their go-to platform. 

But his laid-back attitude toward tightening laws on tech companies and the growing worry about harmful content online has landed him in hot water. Pavel confidently said: 

“We are confident that we can adapt… We don’t expect any significant challenges going forward.”

Well, that didn’t age well, did it?

A free speech champion or a security threat?

Some folks saw this coming from miles away. Since its launch in 2013, Telegram has ballooned to a billion users. Pavel even hinted that they were getting ready for a big, money-making IPO. But many online safety analysts have been ringing alarm bells for years. 

They argue Telegram has turned into a playground for criminals, hackers, and conspiracy theorists who want to dodge the stricter rules on platforms like Facebook and YouTube.

But, as Squire pointed out, Telegram’s hands-off approach to content moderation has “finally caught up with them.” The laissez-faire attitude towards illegal activities on the platform has made it a haven for all sorts of shady dealings, from neo-Nazi activities to outright criminal conspiracies.

Telegram’s suspected involvement in criminal offenses within French borders has placed it firmly under French jurisdiction. The French authorities have become pretty adept at investigating cybercrime, thanks to a specialized unit known as “J3” within the Paris prosecutor’s office. 

This unit played a key role in the investigation that cracked EncroChat, a secretive communication system used by organized criminals, leading to a slew of arrests across Europe in 2020. 

Now, they’ve turned their sights on Telegram. One of the charges they’re exploring is the refusal to cooperate with law enforcement by not handing over information needed for legal interceptions.

Last year, the app got a temporary ban in Brazil for not responding to government requests for data about neo-Nazi activity.

Meanwhile, Pavel has been getting love from libertarians and free speech advocates like Elon Musk, who has been vocal against government censorship. 

The hashtag #freepavel is making waves on Elon’s X (formerly Twitter). But not everyone is on board with Musk’s view. Some in Silicon Valley argue that France might be overstepping, potentially stifling innovation. 

Others think this could set off a wave of changes in how social media platforms operate.