Pavel Durov, who has French citizenship, faces prosecution over alleged failure to suppress spread of sexual images of children and calls for violence

The head of Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been charged by the French judiciary for allegedly allowing criminal activity on the messaging app but avoided jail with a €5m bail.

The Russian-born multi-billionaire, who has French citizenship, was granted release on condition that he report to a police station twice a week and remain in France, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.

The charges against Durov include complicity in the spread of sexual images of children and a litany of other alleged violations on the messaging app.

His surprise arrest has put a spotlight on the criminal liability of Telegram, the popular app with around 1 billion users, and has sparked debate over free speech and government censorship.

    • scorp@lemmy.mlEnglish
      91·
      4 months ago

      do you agree with this arrest or are you pointing out the double standards ?

      • BruceTwarzen@lemm.ee
        10·
        4 months ago

        I don’t really understand how he allowed crime. I can commit crime via sms, whatsapp, signal or mail. Does that mean they allow it?

        • MerchantsOfMisery@lemmy.ml
          3·
          4 months ago

          I think the distinction here is that if your phone provider, WhatsApp, Signal or mail carrier is informed that someone is engaging in illegal activity using their service, these entities would comply and give the information they have on you-- be it a lot like SMS or a little like Signal (phone number, registration date).

          In the case of Telegram, they’ve been informed countless times that specific individuals are engaging in blatantly illegal activity and unlike the previously mentioned entities, Telegram is refusing to comply with any legal requests.

          I believe that’s the situation but if I’m wrong, by all means correct me because this is a very interesting subject.