Telegram to leave France if forced to provide backdoor access

Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has threatened to withdraw the app from France if authorities force the company to provide backdoor access to encrypted messages, Anadolu Agency reported. Durov stated on Monday that Telegram would prefer to leave the French market rather than compromise encryption, which he described as a violation of basic human rights.

Last month, the French National Assembly rejected a proposed law that would have banned encryption, a move Durov praised as protecting citizens’ privacy. However, the issue resurfaced after the Paris Police Prefect advocated for backdoor access last Friday.

Durov warned that backdoors cannot be guaranteed to be accessible only to police and could be exploited by hackers or foreign agents, putting all users’ private messages at risk. He also said such a law would not effectively combat crime, as criminals could use smaller apps to communicate.

Under the EU Digital Services Act, Telegram would disclose only IP addresses and phone numbers of suspects with a valid court order, not message content. Durov emphasized that encryption protects ordinary users’ privacy, not criminals.