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Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of instant messaging app Telegram, was arrested in Paris on Saturday 24 August. The Franco-Russian multi-billionaire was arrested as part of an investigation into alleged cases of fraud, drug trafficking, organized crime, apology for terrorism and cyber-bullying on the platform. Among other things, the French authorities accuse Durov of failing to moderate criminal content on the messaging service.
The Telegram messaging app was launched in 2013 by Durov and his brother, Nikolai. Today, it tends to be appreciated for the confidentiality promised by its encryption technology, which, coupled with the platform's general lack of moderation, enables the dissemination of information that would otherwise be censored through official channels. In recent years, Telegram has provided democratic movements in Belarus, Russia and China with a means of accessing and sharing information without government interference. However, this lack of control has also encouraged the proliferation of dangerous and illegal content.
Although Dourov's custody has been extended, it is unclear whether it will result in any charges. More broadly, the final decision could cause a significant stir in the world of social networking, with other platforms, such as X, being regularly accused of promoting disinformation and incitement to violence.
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