Fans see Pavel Durov as a hero of freedom of expression – is he giving in now? In a statement, the founder talks about the changes in data protection at Telegram.
The temporary arrest of Pavel Durov in Paris will probably not be without consequences for Telegram. The French judiciary arrested the billionaire in Paris a month ago. The accusation: Durov is not doing enough to prevent the spread of criminal content on his platform. Now Durov, who is free on bail of five million euros, has apparently taken action. The tech mogul has adjusted Telegram's data protection policy.
Telegram will work more closely with the authorities
In the future, Telegram will work more closely with state authorities: In response to official requests from authorities, the phone number and IP address of suspects will be disclosed, according to Telegram's new privacy policy. Previously, this step was only intended for terror suspects. Now there is general talk of suspicion of “criminal acts”. The messenger service prides itself on protecting the privacy of its users particularly strictly. The new privacy policy states:
“If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant legal authorities confirming that you are a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate Telegram's Terms of Service, we will conduct a legal analysis of the request and may share your IP address and phone number with the relevant authorities.”
Durov explained the move in his Telegram channel, which has 13 million subscribers, as follows: Telegram search is more powerful than that of other messaging services – because it enables the discovery of public channels and bots. These channels are sometimes used as a digital black market where drugs, weapons and violent video material are sold. In recent weeks, Durov writes, a team of moderators, supported by AI, has made the search safer by removing problematic content. If users nevertheless come across unsafe or illegal content, it can be reported via a bot in the future. Durov ends his message as follows: “Telegram Search is intended to be used to find friends and discover news, not to promote illegal activities.”
Pavel Durov has prominent supporters
Durov's arrest at the end of August 2024 sparked a wave of outrage – his fans are celebrating the libertarian tech founder, who lives in Dubai, as a hero of freedom of expression. Among them is Elon Musk: The owner of X, who has also fought against the moderation of content, described Durov's arrest as evidence of “dangerous times”. According to the public prosecutor's office, Durov faced up to ten years in prison for the accusation of aiding and abetting illegal transactions using the chat service alone.
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Durov's arrest by French investigators is said to be related to a range of crimes: from fraud to drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime and glorification of terrorism. Immediately after the arrest, the service pointed out that it was impossible to hold a tech CEO responsible for the criminal acts for which others abused his platform. Durov was released on bail a few days later. He currently has to report to the police twice a week – and is not allowed to leave France for the time being. The St. Petersburg native has both Russian and French citizenship, as well as a passport from the island state of St. Kitts and Nevis.
Have you had any experience with Telegram or worked for the company? Then contact our reporter Madita Lege confidentially. You can reach her by email at [email protected].
Source: https://www.businessinsider.de/gruenderszene/technologie/infolge-der-festnahme-pavel-durov-meldet-sich-zuruck/
