CEO of X and billionaire, Elon Musk, has called for the release of Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, following Durov’s recent arrest in France.
Durov, the Franco-Russian head of the encrypted messaging app, was detained on Saturday upon arriving at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. The arrest is reportedly related to allegations that Telegram has been used for illegal activities, including money laundering, drug trafficking, and the distribution of child exploitation material.
In response, Musk posted on X on Sunday, “Liberté Liberté! Liberté?”
Liberté
Liberté!
Liberté?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
He also shared news of Durov’s arrest with a caption implying that the arrest is suppression of free speech: “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme.”
POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme https://t.co/OkZ6YS3u2P
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024
Telegram has long faced criticism for its minimal content filtering, which has allowed illegal activities to proliferate on the platform.
The platform has become a preferred medium for various forms of cybercrime, including trading stolen financial data, selling fake IDs, distributing fraudulent vaccine certificates, and offering hijacked streaming service accounts.
The app is also known for hosting channels that provide tutorials and tips on committing fraud. Despite some efforts to moderate content, Telegram has struggled to effectively irradicate illegal activities, with cybercriminals often creating backup channels to evade detection.