Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has committed to enhancing moderation efforts on his encrypted messaging platform, as he addressed a French court on Friday, according to a report by Franceinfo.
Durov, a Russian-born tech entrepreneur with citizenship in France, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, was arrested in Paris in August 2024. French authorities charged him with over a dozen allegations, including complicity in the distribution of child pornography and enabling drug trafficking through the platform. Following his arrest, Durov was released on bail of €5 million ($5.15 million) but was prohibited from leaving France and must report to the local police twice weekly.
Commitment to Moderation
During the court hearing, Durov assured judges that Telegram is committed to improving its moderation systems. He stated that the platform removes “between 15 and 20 million user accounts for violating the law” each month. Addressing concerns about illicit content, Durov emphasized that accounts distributing child pornography are removed “on the same day” and highlighted Telegram's collaboration with various organizations combating child exploitation.
When questioned about the timing of these initiatives, which judges noted were implemented primarily after his arrest, Durov acknowledged that he became fully “aware of the seriousness of these issues” only after the legal proceedings began.
Telegram has since increased its cooperation with global authorities, providing user data from approximately 10,000 accounts to law enforcement agencies over the past six months. In September 2024, the platform updated its privacy policy, enabling the collection and storage of metadata—such as IP addresses, device details, and username changes—for up to one year. This data can be shared with judicial authorities when users are suspected of illegal activity.
Legal Defense and Global Reactions
Durov’s legal team has dismissed the charges against him as baseless, arguing that it is unreasonable to hold him personally accountable for criminal activities conducted on Telegram. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, echoed these sentiments, calling the charges "absurd." He drew a comparison, suggesting that by the same logic, France could arrest car manufacturers’ CEOs because terrorists have used their vehicles.
Freedom of Media and Censorship
Durov has also criticized the European Union for what he described as excessive censorship and media restrictions. Late last year, Telegram channels of major Russian news outlets were blocked across the EU. Reflecting on the situation, Durov remarked that Russian users now enjoy more media freedom on Telegram than their European counterparts.
“Who would have thought that in 2025, Russian Telegram users would enjoy more freedom than Europeans?” Durov stated in a New Year’s message.
Looking Ahead
As legal proceedings continue, Durov’s pledges to strengthen Telegram’s moderation policies and collaboration with authorities aim to address ongoing concerns about the platform’s role in facilitating illegal activities. However, the case has raised broader questions about platform accountability and the balance between user privacy and regulatory oversight.
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