Home HomeSwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

The Telegram CEO's First Comments on the Allegations

Telegram's co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov has been silent about the arrest and allegations against him – until now. The accusations are surprising and misguided, he believes.

» Updated: 19 September 2024, 13:43

» Published: 06 September 2024

The Telegram CEO's First Comments on the Allegations
Photo: Tatan Syuflana/AP/TT

Pavel Durov was arrested at the end of August at Le Bourget airport outside Paris and was released after four days of police questioning. He has been accused, on preliminary grounds, of not acting against criminals using Telegram to commit crimes.

In a long post on his own messaging service, his first comments since the arrest, Durov writes that it is surprising that he is being held responsible for others' content.

Durov: Completely untrue

"Using laws written before the era of smartphones to accuse a CEO of crimes committed by third parties on the platform he is responsible for is a misguided approach," he writes.

He also comments on claims that Telegram is an anarchist paradise, calling them "completely untrue".

"We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day."

Pavel Durov denies French accusations that Paris did not receive any responses from the company to its requests. He claims that he personally helped French authorities establish contact with Telegram to "handle the threat of terrorism in France".

Admits weakness

At the same time, he admits that the messaging service's steadily increasing number of users – now 950 million worldwide, according to Durov – has caused growing pains, making it easier for criminals to abuse the platform.

"That's why I've made it my personal goal to see to it that we significantly improve things in this regard," he writes, adding that more details on how this will be done will be announced later.

"I hope that the events in August will result in Telegram – and the social media industry as a whole – becoming a safer and stronger place," writes Durov.

Telegram's CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov was surprisingly arrested at an airport outside Paris on August 24, when he landed with his private plane.

Tech billionaire Durov is a citizen of Russia, France, the United Arab Emirates, and the island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. He left his home country Russia in 2014.

He was released on Wednesday, but is not allowed to leave the country. The 39-year-old is suspected of not having acted against criminals using the platform to commit crimes.

The investigation is led, among others, by Ofmin, a part of the French judiciary that works against exploitation, violence, and abuse of children and young people.

Through his lawyer, Durov denies all allegations, which are described as absurd.

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Musk helped Trump - what does he get in return?
3 MIN READ

Musk helped Trump - what does he get in return?

Attack on hospital in Ukraine – several dead
1 MIN READ

Attack on hospital in Ukraine – several dead

Zelensky: Concessions are suicide
1 MIN READ

Zelensky: Concessions are suicide

The Mastermind Behind 9/11 Gets a Deal with the USA
1 MIN READ

The Mastermind Behind 9/11 Gets a Deal with the USA

UN Soldiers Injured in Attack in Lebanon
1 MIN READ

UN Soldiers Injured in Attack in Lebanon

Trump's Peace Plan for Ukraine: No NATO for 20 Years
2 MIN READ

Trump's Peace Plan for Ukraine: No NATO for 20 Years

Biden addresses the nation after the election
1 MIN READ

Biden addresses the nation after the election

Canada in dispute with Tiktok - "national security"
1 MIN READ

Canada in dispute with Tiktok - "national security"

The EU Top on Trump: There is Something to Build On
2 MIN READ

The EU Top on Trump: There is Something to Build On

Harris Turned His Back: "Didn't Stop the Genocide"
2 MIN READ

Harris Turned His Back: "Didn't Stop the Genocide"

Israel buys new fighter jets from Boeing
1 MIN READ

Israel buys new fighter jets from Boeing

Multiple deaths in Israeli attack in Lebanon
2 MIN READ

Multiple deaths in Israeli attack in Lebanon

Demands No Confidence: "Scholz's Coalition is History"
2 MIN READ

Demands No Confidence: "Scholz's Coalition is History"

Iran: Trump's Victory Chance of Reconsideration
1 MIN READ

Iran: Trump's Victory Chance of Reconsideration

The demand to Georgia: Investigate election fraud
1 MIN READ

The demand to Georgia: Investigate election fraud

Democrats Fume: Biden's Arrogance Was Our Downfall
2 MIN READ

Democrats Fume: Biden's Arrogance Was Our Downfall

Two states are still counting their votes
1 MIN READ

Two states are still counting their votes

The Charges Against Trump – What Happens Now
3 MIN READ

The Charges Against Trump – What Happens Now

Struggle for Power in Congress
3 MIN READ

Struggle for Power in Congress

Xi wants a stable relationship with the USA in the "new era"
1 MIN READ

Xi wants a stable relationship with the USA in the "new era"