Pavel Durov, the CEO and founder of the popular Telegram messaging app, was arrested on Saturday evening at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. According to reports from Reuters, citing French media, Durov was detained by French authorities while traveling in his private jet from Azerbaijan. The arrest was based on an outstanding warrant connected to a preliminary police investigation. French police are reportedly probing the lack of moderation on Telegram, which they believe has enabled unchecked criminal activities on the platform.Telegrams Influence Across Former Soviet StatesTelegram, widely used across Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet republics, has emerged as one of the leading social media platforms globally. Ranked alongside major players like YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, and WeChat, the app is on track to reach one billion users within the next year. Despite its growing influence, Telegram has faced significant scrutiny over its content moderation policies, particularly in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war. The app has become a primary source of unfiltered—and at times, graphic and misleading—information during the conflict.🚨 BREAKING: TELEGRAM AND TONCOIN $TON CREATOR PAVEL DUROV REPORTEDLY DETAINED IN FRANCELocal media claim that Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been detained by French authorities.Details are still emerging. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story. pic.twitter.com/INhMOa0kJx— JAKE (@JakeGagain) August 24, 2024No Official Response YetAs of now, neither French authorities nor Telegram has released any official statements regarding Durovs arrest. Durov, who founded Telegram after leaving Russia in 2014, is currently based in Dubai. He left Russia after refusing government demands to shut down opposition groups on his previous social media platform, VK, which he subsequently sold. Despite pressure from various governments to implement stricter moderation, Durov has consistently maintained that Telegram should remain a neutral platform and not become a player in geopolitics.International Repercussions and Ongoing InvestigationThe Russian embassy in France has denied any prior knowledge of Durovs arrest. In a statement to the Russian state TASS news agency, the embassy mentioned that it had not been contacted by Durovs team but was taking immediate steps to clarify the situation. Meanwhile, Durov, whose fortune was estimated at $15.5 billion by Forbes, continues to navigate the challenges of managing a platform with over 900 million active users.
