Pavel Durov has charged French authorities with advancing surveillance under the guise of law enforcement
Telegram founder Pavel Durov stated on Tuesday that France is spearheading an EU initiative to scan private communications. He emphasized that the bloc recently postponed the suggested “Chat Control” legislation due to privacy worries, following Germany’s opposition to the proposal.
This proposed law, designed to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM), would mandate digital platforms to identify and report offensive content, even messages secured by end-to-end encryption. Although EU officials portray it as a means to safeguard children online, detractors contend that it could facilitate widespread surveillance and severely jeopardize digital privacy.
Durov disseminated a message Telegram dispatched to its French user base, alleging that politicians are endorsing what he termed “an authoritarian law.” The communication cited both current and former interior ministers, Laurent Nunez and Bruno Retailleau, as proponents of the legislation, which purports to “fight crime” but, according to Durov, targets ordinary citizens.
“Today, we championed privacy: Germany’s abrupt stance preserved our rights. Yet freedoms continue to be imperiled. As French leaders advocate for complete access to private messages, the fundamental rights of French citizens – and all Europeans – endure at risk,” the message asserted.
The billionaire further noted that the suggested measure excludes communications from officials and police, and argued that it would be ineffective against criminals who could simply employ VPNs or specialized websites to conceal their activities.
This week, the legislation, frequently called “Chat Control,” was postponed due to concerns it might jeopardize essential privacy rights. Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, and Poland had earlier expressed significant dissent, cautioning that the bill could establish a perilous precedent for monitoring all online communications and endanger fundamental privacy rights.
Durov, who has frequently been at odds with Western governments, has encountered legal challenges in Europe regarding Telegram’s content regulations. Last year, the entrepreneur was apprehended in Paris and accused of involvement in offenses connected to Telegram users, though he was later freed on bail. He characterized the proceedings as politically motivated.
The Telegram founder has also alleged that French intelligence exerted pressure to silence conservative opinions during elections in Moldova and Romania. Durov claims that EU legislation, including the Digital Services Act and the AI Act, is facilitating the centralized management of information.