As a seasoned analyst with a background in both technology and human rights, I find myself deeply troubled by the recent arrest of Pavel Durov in Paris. Having closely followed the trajectory of tech giants, I’ve witnessed firsthand the delicate balance they must strike between adhering to regulatory norms and upholding the principles of free speech and privacy.


Pavel Durov, the head of Telegram, was taken into custody in Paris after a global detention order from French law enforcement officials.

The arrest stems from concerns over Telegram’s alleged lack of moderation, particularly in light of EU regulations such as the Digital Services Act. In response, Telegram issued a statement asserting the exec has nothing to hide.

Tech Leaders Condemn Arrest

On August 26th, Telegram’s official Twitter account stated that the platform adheres to all EU laws and follows moderation practices consistent with industry norms. The company highlighted Durov’s frequent visits to Europe and argued against the notion that a platform or its owner should be penalized for user misconduct.

As a researcher, I find myself continually amazed by the vast user base of over 900 million people worldwide who rely on Telegram for communication and critical information. In these challenging times, we eagerly anticipate a swift resolution to the current situation. Rest assured, Telegram stands with you all.

39-year-old billionaire’s detention sparks heated discussions online, with #FreeDurov and #FreePavel becoming popular topics. Edward Snowden, former American intelligence contractor turned whistleblower, criticized the detention as a violation of fundamental human rights of freedom of speech and assembly. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, expressed similar concerns over the arrest of the tech mogul who was born in Russia.

As a crypto investor reflecting on a recent post about X, Elon Musk took aim at Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, raising doubts about why Zuckerberg hasn’t encountered similar legal hurdles as Durov. Musk further speculated that perhaps Zuckerberg has managed to dodge the long arm of the law by conforming to censorship requests. He asserted a concerning allegation, suggesting that Instagram might be harboring a substantial issue of child exploitation, which unfortunately remains unchecked.

The CEO of X also alleged that Zuckerberg is suppressing open dialogue and giving authorities secret paths to private user information.

Lack of Default End-to-End Encryption

Samson Mow, the CEO of the company focused on hyperbitcoinization called Jan3, voiced his backing for Durov’s freedom while simultaneously offering constructive criticism towards Telegram’s business approach.

Mow emphasized the potential dangers of operating a service similar to Telegram without built-in end-to-end encryption. He argued that such an arrangement left the platform open to influence from regulatory bodies.

He drew a parallel between Telegram and Nostr, a decentralized social network, highlighting what he sees as a critical flaw in the latter’s reliance on relays. According to Mow, ignoring this architectural issue could lead to Nostr’s downfall.

Read More

2024-08-26 14:24