On an ordinary Saturday, Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, boarded his private jet in Baku, set to land near Paris. It seemed like just another routine business trip, but upon landing, Durov’s day took a dramatic turn when he was detained by French police. Currently held in French custody, Durov could face one of two possible outcomes in the coming days: charges or release. President Emmanuel Macron has stated that there is no political motive behind the arrest and that the French government is not involved.
Durov’s arrest is reportedly linked to Telegram, the messaging app he co-founded. So, who is Pavel Durov, and why has his company landed him in such hot water?
Pavel Durov: The “Russian Zuckerberg”
Pavel Durov, often referred to as the “Russian Zuckerberg,” is a 39-year-old tech entrepreneur born in St. Petersburg, Russia. His journey to fame began in 2006 when he was inspired by Facebook’s rise to popularity. Durov sought to replicate this success in Russia, launching a social media platform called VKontakte (VK), which became extremely popular in Russia and earned him the moniker “Mark Zuckerberg of Russia.”
However, Durov’s story took a different path from Zuckerberg’s. Known for his mysterious and mercurial personality, Durov frequently found himself embroiled in controversies. In 2012, he made headlines by showering money on people from VK’s headquarters, and his bold decisions often put him at odds with the Russian government.
In 2011, Russian police pressured him to shut down the account of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a critic of President Vladimir Putin. Durov refused. A few years later, in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, Moscow demanded the personal data of Ukrainian leaders on VK. Once again, Durov refused and ultimately sold the company under mounting pressure, leaving Russia behind.
After selling VK, Durov embarked on a new venture, creating Telegram in 2013 while traveling from country to country. The messaging app quickly gained popularity, and Durov eventually settled in Dubai. Interestingly, Durov also holds French citizenship, though it remains unclear how he acquired it. Telegram’s rise has been impressive, boasting around 950 million users today.
Why Was Durov Arrested?
Telegram’s emphasis on privacy and freedom of speech is central to its appeal. Unlike other platforms, Telegram refuses to moderate content or share user data with governments or third parties. The platform also allows for massive group sizes, with groups accommodating up to 200,000 members—significantly larger than the limits set by competitors like WhatsApp.
However, Telegram’s commitment to privacy has also made it a target for criticism. Governments around the world have expressed concerns that the platform has become a breeding ground for illegal activities such as child trafficking, drug trafficking, and terrorism-related content. Over the years, Telegram has faced multiple bans and accusations from countries like Russia, Iran, Spain, and Brazil.
Now, France has joined the list. French authorities have accused Telegram of failing to moderate harmful content and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement. France argues that Telegram’s lack of moderation makes it a platform for harmful content, and they’ve chosen to address the issue by arresting its CEO.
Telegram, however, maintains that Durov has nothing to hide. The company claims that it abides by European Union laws, and Durov, as a French citizen, regularly visits Europe. Telegram’s defense rests on a familiar argument in the tech world: Should a platform be held responsible for what its users do? Telegram says no, but France seems to disagree.
Durov’s arrest marks an unprecedented move in the ongoing debate over the responsibilities of tech platforms. How this situation unfolds will likely have implications for not just Telegram but also other tech companies facing similar scrutiny from governments worldwide.
