Whether it’s the EU accusing Elon Musk of spreading disinformation about X, or Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s hearing into the data-sharing scandal in the US Senate, social media moguls are no strangers to run-ins with governments.
However, until now no one had taken serious legal action, let alone the police officers at an airport.
On Saturday, August 24, French authorities bucked this trend and arrested Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov at Le Bourget airport in Paris.
In a statement released on Wednesday (August 28), French prosecutors said Durov was being investigated for failing to prevent illegal activities, namely transactions by organized gangs, on Telegram. Durov’s other alleged charges include refusing to communicate with authorities and complicity in the organized criminal distribution of child sexual abuse images.
What changes will Telegram make to its moderation policy?
Late last night, prosecutors in Paris said Durov, a Russian-born billionaire with French citizenship, has been placed under judicial supervision. The Telegram boss is banned from leaving France and must post a €5 million ($5.6 million) bail.
Durov’s arrest takes place a few days later research found that Yemeni arms dealers used Telegram, X and other social media platforms to advertise arms deals. Many accounts are linked to the Iran-backed, U.S.-sanctioned Houthi militia in Yemen.
Telegram, based in Dubai but founded by Durov in Russia in 2013, is based on a model of “complete freedom of speech” and minimal moderation – hugely useful for pro-democracy movements under authoritarian regimes in, for example, Iran, Myanmar or Belarus.
However, it also makes Telegram a hotspot for misinformation. Far-right figures in the UK, including Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson), have made prominent use of the platform to spread racist rhetoric and disinformation during a recent series of riots.
“Telegram does have a content moderation system, but it’s still not enough,” said Aleksandr Valentij, cybersecurity lead at digital security company Surfshark. Pronunciation.
“The platform hosts a significant amount of illegal and harmful content and has unfortunately become a haven for individuals involved in various criminal activities, including war crimes, terrorism, child exploitation, hacking, and black market operations.”
Telegram has not responded Verdict request for comment at the time of publication.
Telegram in the military’s sights?
Like the shameless advertisements of arms dealers with ties to the Houthis, Telegram has also become synonymous with militaristic mobilization.
“A lesser-known but critical concern is that Telegram is reportedly being used to coordinate Russian military activities in Ukraine,” Valentij said. “This includes everything from unit-to-unit communications to operative recruitment and collaborators sharing coordinates for missile strikes.”
Apart from pro-Kremlin military bloggers, Russian military figures are openly using Telegram. Amid reports that Ukraine is first domestically made ballistic missile On Wednesday (August 28), Vyacheslav Gladkov, Governor of the Belgorod Region, used the platform to to make a statement According to them, Ukrainian special forces had attempted to invade Belgorod.
Telegram is also home to thousands of war-related forums, from Russian Wagner mercenaries to Ukrainians seeking real-time updates on airstrikes and their loved ones.
Durov’s arrest sparked a wave of messages from Russian military analysts and politicians complaining about the lack of a ubiquitous, secure messaging service for the Russian military.
“It would be very sad and funny at the same time if Durov’s arrest becomes the catalyst for changes in the Russian armed forces’ approach to communications,” read a post by Rybar, a Telegram account with 1.3 million subscribers founded by a former Russian Defense Ministry official.
Durov isn’t the only social media mogul who needs to be on his guard.
While X is not used for military communications purposes, it has come under fire recently for its lax moderation of illegal and misleading content.
X owner Musk, who has described moderation as a “propaganda word” for censorship, has defended Durov and called for his release.
Musk has been embroiled in several political conflicts in recent months, most notably with Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid X’s incendiary role in the far-right riots in the UK, and Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered a block on accounts accused of spreading disinformation. Brazil is watching ready to limit X.
In the past, Zuckerberg, Musk and other technocrats have largely gotten off with a fine — little more than a slap on the wrist for some of the world’s richest men.
With Durov’s arrest, French authorities have set a strong precedent that the rest of the EU can follow as it seeks to enforce its far-reaching Digital Services Act.
“Arms Trafficking and Sexual Abuse Material: Why Was Telegram’s Co-Founder Arrested?” was originally created and published by Pronunciationa brand of GlobalData.
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