French officials have recently issued an arrest warrant for Russian-born Pavel Durov, founder of the globally popular online chat app Telegram. Although Telegram is based in Dubai, which falls outside the European Union’s jurisdiction, authorities are determined to take action as Durov prepares to visit France. Durov mysteriously managed to acquire French citizenship in 2021 without ever residing in the country, a feat typically requiring five years of residency and income tax payment in France. Instead, Durov was granted fast-tracked naturalization through a French Foreign Ministry initiative that awards citizenship for actions that contribute to the image, prosperity, and international relations of France. The specifics of his contributions remain unclear, beyond his work on Telegram and vocal criticism of Russia.
In a puzzling twist, just three years later, the same French government is accusing Durov of taking a lax approach to content moderation on Telegram. French press reports cite anonymous judicial sources alleging that the app has become a haven for various criminal elements, including terrorists, money launderers, drug traffickers, and pedophiles. Notably absent from these allegations are individuals with opinions that conflict with those of the establishment, despite ongoing concerns about “online proliferation” among European officials.
Durov’s arrest has prompted Canadian Rumble founder Chris Pavlovski to flee Europe in response to perceived threats against his platform. Pavlovski had previously opted to geoblock Rumble across France rather than censor content as requested by the French government. Durov’s situation raises questions about the true motives behind the arrest warrant, with some speculating that it could be a tactic for gaining greater control over Telegram and its operations.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Durov may have underestimated the risks of relying on anti-Russian rhetoric to maintain his standing with European authorities. As a result, Durov may find himself learning that Russia could appear more appealing by comparison if French officials decide they’ve had enough of him and his app.
This situation highlights concerns about governments using authoritarian tactics under the guise of national security or criminality in order to exert control over popular mobile applications. While Telegram has been responsive to court orders for information disclosure in limited cases involving immediate threats to life, it remains uncertain whether this warrant is part of a larger effort to coerce greater cooperation from the app than would have been possible otherwise.