Pavel Durov, who has French citizenship, faces prosecution over alleged failure to suppress spread of sexual images of children and calls for violence

The head of Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been charged by the French judiciary for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the messaging app but avoided jail with a €5m bail.

The Russian-born multi-billionaire, who has French citizenship, was granted release on condition that he report to a police station twice a week and remain in France, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.

The charges against Durov include complicity in the spread of sexual images of children and a litany of other alleged violations on the messaging app.

His surprise arrest has put a spotlight on the criminal liability of Telegram, the popular app with around 1 billion users, and has sparked debate over free speech and government censorship.

  • Clot@lemm.eeEnglish
    55·
    3 months ago

    Is that the point here? Telegram is not a messaging app, it have that functionality but it does not revolve around that. And there is e2ee if you enable it. Thanks

    • unknowing8343
      102·
      3 months ago

      But Telegram IS a messaging app? Their motto is literally “a new era of messaging”.

      • Clot@lemm.eeEnglish
        45·
        3 months ago

        Yes, but it’s not it’s only functionality, unlike signal. Also how is durovs arrest can be justified by saying “telegram aint e2ee”? Signal bros are something else.

        • unknowing8343
          51·
          3 months ago

          I’m just calling out your phrase saying that Telegram is not a messaging app, when it is. That is all.

        • MerchantsOfMisery@lemmy.ml
          12·
          3 months ago

          Also how is durovs arrest can be justified by saying “telegram aint e2ee”?

          No one here has said or implied that.