Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire and founder of the messaging app Telegram, was arrested at Le Bourget airport near Paris on Saturday, August 24th, 2024.
Durov, who holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, was detained upon arrival from Baku, Azerbaijan, under a French warrant. The arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that Telegram has been used for various criminal activities due to insufficient moderation.
French authorities have extended Durov's detention beyond Sunday night, as confirmed by an investigating magistrate. The 39-year-old tech entrepreneur faces accusations related to organized crime, drug trafficking, fraud, cyberbullying, and the promotion of terrorism on his platform.
According to officials, Durov is suspected of failing to take adequate measures to curb these illegal activities on Telegram.
Telegram, which Durov founded with his brother Nikolai in 2013, has grown to over 700 million monthly active users worldwide. Despite its popularity, the app has faced criticism for its lack of content moderation, making it a haven for extremists and conspiracy theorists.
Investigative journalists have labeled Telegram as the "‘go-to’ tool for Russian propagandists, both leftwing and rightwing radicals, American QAnon and conspiracy theorists," and a "cesspit of antisemitic content."
Durov's arrest has sparked reactions from various quarters. Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current deputy head of Russia’s security council, remarked that Durov had "miscalculated" by fleeing Russia and thinking he would not have to cooperate with security services abroad.
Meanwhile, rightwing US commentator Tucker Carlson described Durov as "a living warning to any platform owner who refuses to censor the truth at the behest of governments and intel agencies."
In response to the arrest, Telegram issued a statement asserting that the platform abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act, and that its moderation practices are within industry standards and constantly improving. The company emphasized that it is "absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."
Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with Kremlin demands to shut down opposition groups on VKontakte (VK), the social network he founded, now resides in Dubai. Forbes estimates his net worth at $15.5 billion, ranking him #122 on the 2024 Billionaires list.
The initial period of Durov's detention can last up to 96 hours, after which a judge will decide whether to release him or press charges and remand him in further custody. As the investigation continues, the tech world watches closely to see how this high-profile case unfolds.
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