Durov Calls Arrest 'Misguided' as France Charges Telegram Founder with Enabling Crime

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov, in his first statement since his arrest in France, called it a "misguided approach" to hold him personally accountable for the spread of illicit content on the platform. Durov, who was arrested last week, faces charges related to enabling criminal activity on Telegram, including the spread of child sexual abuse material, fraud, and drug sales, according to French prosecutors.

In a post on his Telegram channel on Friday, Durov expressed confusion over the situation in France, stating that French authorities should have addressed their concerns with his company before arresting him. He argued that holding innovators responsible for potential misuse of their tools could stifle technological progress. Telegram, which now has 950 million users, has faced "growing pains" that have allowed criminals to exploit the platform, Durov acknowledged, adding that improving this situation had become a personal goal for him.

French prosecutors cited Telegram's "almost total lack of response" to law enforcement requests as a reason for Durov's arrest. However, Durov said the arrest came as a "surprise" and rejected claims that Telegram is an "anarchic paradise." He emphasized that the platform removes millions of harmful posts daily and that changes to address further abuse of the platform would be announced soon.