Telegram CEO Durov criticizes French charges as 'surprising', 'misguided'

Telegram's founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, has publicly criticised the French government's decision to arrest and charge him over extremist and illegal content on his platform.

In his first statement since his arrest in late August, Durov expressed surprise at being held accountable for user-generated content, labeling the charges as "misguided."

In a detailed post on Telegram, Durov rejected accusations that the platform is a haven for anarchic content.

He emphasised that Telegram removes "millions of harmful posts and channels" daily, and stated that the platform cooperates with authorities, including assisting French officials in setting up a hotline to counter terrorism.

Durov acknowledged that Telegram's rapid growth—now serving 950 million users worldwide—has posed challenges in content moderation.

He pledged to improve the platform's safety measures while maintaining a balance between privacy and security. Durov also hinted that if disagreements with local regulators cannot be resolved, Telegram may consider exiting certain markets.

Durov, 39, was arrested at Le Bourget airport in France on August 24 and subsequently charged. He was released on bail under strict conditions, including regular check-ins at a police station.

Despite the legal challenges, Durov's stance has gained support from fellow tech figures like Elon Musk, who has voiced his backing using the hashtag #FreePavel.

Durov remains committed to addressing the issues raised, aiming to make Telegram—and the broader social media industry—"safer and stronger