What to know about Telegram CEO Pavel Durov
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Pavel Durov at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in Feb. 2016. Photo: AOP.Press/Corbis via Getty Images
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov's arrest in France this weekend and charges issued Wednesday have put the platform's content moderation policies and its creator's role in them back in the spotlight.
Why it matters: The case could become a free speech rallying cry while setting a precedent for other social media executives.
- Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski posted a message of support for Durov on Sunday, saying the country had also "threatened" Rumble.
- "#FreePavel," Elon Musk wrote on X Sunday.
What is Durov's background?
Durov, 39, was born in Russia but currently holds multiple other citizenships, including from France, the United Arab Emirates, and from the Caribbean nation St. Kitts and Nevis, Reuters reported.
- Durov was popularly referred to as the "Mark Zuckerberg of Russia" after founding the popular Vkontakte social network in 2006, a Russian alternative to Facebook, per CNN.
- Alongside his brother, Durov founded Telegram in 2013.
- Durov fled Russia in 2014 after defying Russian authorities by refusing to give up data on Ukrainian Vkontakte users, per CNN.
- Forbes estimates his net worth at $15.5 billion.
Why was Durov arrested and what was he charged with?
Durov was arrested at the Paris-Le Bourget airport on Saturday shortly after landing in a private jet.
- Durov was arrested in connection to an investigation French authorities opened last month into criminal activity on the platform, as well as the company's alleged unwillingness to cooperate with law enforcement, Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, said in a statement Monday.
- Prosecutors had opened the investigation "against person unnamed" on a slew of potential charges, including complicity in distributing child pornography and narcotics, money laundering, and organizing fraud.
- Durov was released from police custody Wednesday shortly before preliminary charges against him were issued, multiple outlets reported.
- The charges include complicity in managing an online platform to enable illegal transactions; complicity in crimes such as enabling the distribution of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraud; and a refusal to cooperate with law enforcement, per the New York Times.
The other side: "Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving," Telegram said in a statement Sunday.
What to know about Telegram
Telegram is one of the world's largest messaging apps. Messages sent on the platform are encrypted, making it virtually impossible for the company and law enforcement to monitor what's discussed on the platform.
- Durov told the Financial Times in March that Telegram had hit 900 million active users and was nearing profitability.
- Durov told Tucker Carlson in an interview earlier this year that his north star in creating Telegram and his other platforms was to allow people to "express their freedom."
Zoom in: Telegram was once a popular messaging tool for the Islamic State, but the platform shut down channels associated with the group after the 2015 Paris terror attacks, the Washington Post reported.
- Telegram has become a crucial source of information during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with both Russian and Ukrainian officials using the platform to provide updates on the war.
Go deeper: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov reportedly arrested in France
Editor's note: This story has been updated with news of charges filed.
