The 39-year-old Russian-born executive claims that “growing pains” made it easier for criminals to abuse the network and promised to “significantly improve things.”.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has acknowledged that his encrypted messaging app is not flawless but vehemently refuted claims that it was an “anarchic paradise” as he finally spoke out after being arrested in France.
Expressing his thoughts on the platform for the first time since his detention, the chief executive criticised the French authorities’ approach as “misguided” and suggested that they should have addressed their concerns directly with the company.
He mentioned that they had access to a “hot line” he had assisted in establishing and could have reached out to Telegram’s EU representative at any point.
The 39-year-old individual, originally from Russia but now a French citizen, was recently apprehended due to their involvement in various illegal activities such as the distribution of child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraudulent schemes through a popular social media application.
His arrest in France marked a change in how countries might handle tech executives regarding the presence of illegal content on their platforms.
Our mission is to uphold the fundamental rights of individuals, especially in areas where these rights are being infringed upon.
“However, Telegram is not without its flaws.
“The confusion surrounding the destination of requests is an area that requires improvement.”
“However, the assertions made by certain media outlets that Telegram is a chaotic utopia are completely false.
“We remove countless harmful posts and channels on a daily basis.”
He stated that when a country is dissatisfied with an internet service, the customary approach is to initiate legal proceedings against the service provider.
“Applying outdated laws to hold a CEO accountable for the actions of third parties on the platform he oversees is a misguided strategy.
“Building technology is already challenging.”
“No innovator will ever create new tools if they are aware that they may be held personally accountable for any potential misuse of those tools.
“Finding the perfect equilibrium between privacy and security can be quite challenging.”
According to Mr. Durov, the sudden surge in Telegram’s user count to 950 million led to some challenges, which unfortunately made it more convenient for criminals to exploit our platform.
“That’s why I’ve made it my personal mission to drive significant improvements in this area.
“We have already initiated that process internally, and I will provide you with more information on our progress shortly.”
“I am optimistic that the events of August will lead to enhanced safety and resilience for Telegram and the broader social networking industry.”
Telegram provides end-to-end encryption, ensuring data security and placing a high emphasis on privacy.
However, although it serves as a vital source of information regarding Russia’s war in Ukraine, it has unfortunately been misused for criminal purposes. Even far-right activists who incited riots in the UK following the Southport stabbings have recently used it.
Telegram has faced criticism from Western governments due to concerns about its content moderation practices. This has raised concerns about the potential for criminal and extremist groups to exploit the messaging app.
In 2022, Germany imposed fines of €5.1m (£3.7m) on Telegram for violating laws that govern major online platforms. This was due to their failure to establish a mechanism for reporting illegal content.