Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France for failing to moderate content

25 August 2024Ravie LakshmananLaw Enforcement / Digital Privacy

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the popular messaging app Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday, French television channel TF1 reported.

It is believed that Durov was arrested on the basis of an arrest warrant issued as part of a preliminary police investigation.

TF1 said the investigation focused on the instant messaging service's poor content moderation, which authorities said had turned the app into a haven for a wide range of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, child pornography, money laundering and fraud.

Telegram's low-key moderation approach is a point of contention that encourages cybercrime and turns the platform into a hub for threat actors from which to organize their operations, distribute malware, and sell stolen data and other illicit goods.

“This messaging app has transformed into a bustling hub where experienced cybercriminals and novices alike share illicit tools and intelligence, creating a dark and well-oiled supply chain of tools and victim data,” Guardio Labs said in a report earlier this year.

Headquartered in Dubai, Telegram has more than 950 million monthly active users as of July 2024. The company recently launched an in-app browser and a mini app store, effectively making it a super app that mirrors Tencent's WeChat.

(This is a developing story. Please check back later for further updates.)