Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget Airport after his private jet landed. This airport is situated outside Paris and is known for accommodating private flights. The arrest took place on a Saturday night and his detention was extended beyond Sunday.
French media reported that the arrest was carried out under a warrant related to Telegram’s operations. The charges are focused on alleged failures in moderating illegal content on the platform.
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Telegram has been linked to various organized crime activities in Europe. The platform has been used to facilitate drug trade due to its encryption features.
Telegram has been criticized for hosting content related to child sexual exploitation. Allegations include enabling fraud and cyberbullying through inadequate moderation. Telegram’s encryption and large group functionalities have allegedly been used to promote terrorism.
Telegram’s moderation has been criticized as being weaker than other social media platforms. This has allowed the spread of misinformation, extremist content and other illegal activities.
Telegram issued a statement saying that the company complies with EU laws including the Digital Services Act and claims that its moderation is within industry standards.
Pavel Durov gained fame as the founder of VKontakte (VK), a Russian social media platform similar to Facebook. He founded VK in 2006 at the age of 22.
Pavel Durov left VK in 2014 after a dispute with Kremlin-linked owners. He had refused to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on VK, which led to his exit from Russia.
After leaving VK, Pavel Durov founded Telegram in 2013. The platform was designed with a focus on privacy and freedom of speech.
Elon Musk responded to the arrest by posting the hashtag #FreePavel and expressed concerns over the implications for free speech and platform ownership.
Tucker Carlson, the right-wing US commentator described Durov as a warning to platform owners who resist government censorship, framing the arrest as a battle over the control of information.
Telegram has come under scrutiny in India due to its association with various illegal activities including extortion and gambling.
Authorities has concerns about how the platform is being misused to perpetrate scams.
The platform was recently implicated in a huge scandal involving the UGC-NEET exams. The question paper for this major medical entrance exam was leaked and allegedly sold on Telegram for prices ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.
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The investigation spearheaded by I4C and MeitY is focused on illegal activities facilitated through Telegram’s peer-to-peer communications.
The investigation has brought up the possibility of a ban on Telegram in India.
Despite Telegram’s compliance with India’s Information Technology (IT) Rules, which mandate the appointment of a nodal officer, a chief compliance officer and the publication of monthly compliance reports, the platform’s lack of a physical office in India has complicated regulatory efforts.
This absence of a local office makes it difficult for Indian authorities to request user data and manage the platform’s operations effectively within the country.
Pavel Durov was arrested by French authorities at Bourget Airport near Paris. The arrest was part of an investigation into Telegram’s moderation policies, which have been criticized for allowing criminal activities to flourish unchecked on the platform.
Telegram issued a statement on August 26, asserting that Pavel Durov frequently travels in Europe and has nothing to hide.
In October of the previous year, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued notices to Telegram and other social media platforms directing them to remove child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from their services.
In May following recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian government blocked several encrypted messaging platforms including Briar, Element and AWS-owned Wickr Me due to concerns over their misuse.
The IT ministry also considered blocking Proton Mail an encrypted email service, after it was used to send hoax bomb threats.
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