Telegram CEO Pavel Durov: Governments Seek to Identify Opponents Through Telegram, But I Refused

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov: Governments Seek to Identify Opponents Through Telegram, But I Refused
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Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, stated in a memo released on his 41st birthday that “our generation is losing the free internet built by previous generations.”

According to Webino, Durov warned that countries once considered “free” are now implementing severe control and surveillance measures. These measures include the introduction of digital IDs (in the UK), mandatory online age verification (in Australia), and the widespread scanning of private messages within the European Union.

He pointed to specific examples, saying that Germany is prosecuting citizens for online criticism of authorities, the UK has imprisoned thousands for their tweets, and France has investigated technology leaders who advocate for user privacy.

In the memo, Durov defended Telegram’s privacy policies, assuring users that the company strives to protect their private information. He explicitly stated that Telegram has “not shared any private data with governments,” even though, as he implied in his comments, governments have sought to use the platform to identify their opponents.