The company says “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform” after Pavel Durov was arrested by French authorities.
“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” the company says in an unnamed statement posted to its official channel in the Telegram app on Sunday. French officials have confirmed to multiple outlets that Durov was arrested as part of a police investigation into criminal activity taking place on the social network.
While not encrypted by default, Telegram’s largely hands-off approach to moderation means that the app is seen by many as a private, censorship-free alternative to other social networks. “Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information,” reads the company’s statement. “We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation.”
In a rare interview with Tucker Carlson in April, Durov said Telegram’s goal is to be a “neutral” platform and resist requests from governments to moderate. He said he mostly avoids traveling to “big, geopolitical” countries where there’s “too much attention” on the company. “I travel to places where I have confidence that those places are consistent with what we do and our values.”