Telegram CEO Pavel Durov charged in France over illegal activity on app
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Pavel Durov at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in Feb. 2016. Photo: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was issued preliminary charges in France Wednesday shortly after being released from police custody.
Why it matters: Durov's arrest in connection to illicit activity on the messaging app sparked an outcry among anti-censorship advocates. It also raised questions about how other social media companies and executives could be held accountable for the content on their platforms.
Driving the news: The charges against Durov 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.
- Bail was set 5 million euros (about $5.5 million), and Durov was released but ordered to check in at a police station twice a week, per a statement from Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
- The Paris prosecutor's office had said in a statement Wednesday that Durov was released from custody but would be transferred to court for his first appearance before a judge ahead of a possible indictment, AP reported.
- The French investigative judge placed him under formal investigation, preventing him from leaving France.
The big picture: Durov, 39, was arrested at an airport outside Paris on Saturday shortly after landing in a private jet.
- The Paris prosecutor's office said in a statement Monday that his arrest was in connection to a broader investigation opened last month into an unnamed person, focused on criminal activity on Telegram as well as the company's alleged unwillingness to cooperate with law enforcement.
Catch up quick: Durov is one of the world's richest and most influential tech entrepreneurs.
- He was born in Russia but fled the country in 2014 after refusing to share data on Ukrainian users of Vkontakte, the social media site he founded in 2006.
- He currently holds several citizenships, including French.
What they're saying: Telegram said in a statement after the arrest that it abides by EU laws, its content moderation is "within industry standards and constantly improving," and Durov "has nothing to hide."
- Durov's lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski echoed those comments in a media statement on Wednesday, adding: "It is totally absurd to think that the head of a social network... could be involved in criminal acts" that could be committed on the messaging service."
Zoom in: Telegram is one of the world's largest messaging apps and a rival to Meta-owned WhatsApp.
- Its loose content moderation policies have made it an attractive platform for cybercriminals, terrorism organizations and drug dealers.
- Telegram offers users the ability to send messages with end-to-end encryption, making it virtually impossible for the company and law enforcement to monitor what's discussed on the platform.
Go deeper: How Telegram became a destination for criminals
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment by lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski.
