Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, has been allowed to temporarily leave France after being charged with a range of crimes related to illicit activity on the app. The Paris prosecutor’s office announced on Monday that travel restrictions for Mr. Durov had been lifted between March 15 and April 7.
Mr. Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur with citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, had been detained near Paris last August and was barred from leaving the country while under investigation. He is facing potential prison time for crimes such as complicity in distributing child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking, and fraud.
Telegram, which boasts over one billion users, has faced criticism for its sparse oversight of user-generated content, allowing hateful rhetoric and harmful content to persist on the platform. The French case has ignited a global debate about freedom of speech online and tech companies’ responsibility to police user actions.
Mr. Durov has defended Telegram’s actions and cooperation with law enforcement agencies while criticizing the French authorities for holding him personally responsible for users’ posts. The company has implemented changes to better police its platform and cooperate with authorities.
The case against Mr. Durov is part of a larger trend of high-level tech figures being accused of crimes committed by platform users. The international scrutiny on tech companies is increasing, especially regarding child safety, terrorism, and the spread of harmful content. The situation highlights the challenges faced by tech companies in balancing freedom of speech with the need to police illegal activity on their platforms.
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