French media reported that the warrant for Pavel Durov was issued by France at the request of the special unit at the country’s interior ministry in charge of investigating crimes against minors.
The founder and CEO of the messaging service Telegram was detained at a Paris airport on an arrest warrant alleging his platform has been used for money laundering, drug trafficking and other offences, French media reported Sunday.
The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, adopting regulations that forced internet providers to block websites and cellphone operators to store call records and messages that could be shared with security services.In the increasingly repressive environment, Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share news.
A French judicial official suggested that Durov could appear before a judge later Sunday to determine whether he will remain in custody. Western governments have often criticised Telegram for lack of content moderating on the messaging service, which experts say opens up the messaging platform for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and allowing the sharing of content linked to sexual exploitation of minors.in terms of policy and detection of illegal content,” said David Thiel, a Stanford University researcher, who has investigated the use of online platforms for child exploitation, at its Internet Observatory.
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of social media site X who’s called himself a “free speech absolutist” in the past, posted “#freePavel” in support of Durov following the arrest.
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