Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has issued an international arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov on charges of “supporting terrorism.” Durov, in turn, argued that the accusations are aimed at justifying new access restrictions on the platform.
Russia has launched an international manhunt for Pavel Durov, founder of one of the world’s largest messaging platforms, Telegram. The FSB accuses Durov of turning a blind eye to chat channels and bots allegedly used by terrorist organizations and Ukrainian intelligence.
According to the FSB’s statement, certain channels and bots on Telegram were used in terrorist attacks that killed civilians in Russia — including women and children — as well as in various cybercrime activities. Authorities also said separate investigations are underway into claims that a chatbot named “Dayvinchik/Leo” was used to direct young people toward terrorism and sabotage activities.
Responding to the accusations via Telegram, Durov claimed that Russian authorities were fabricating pretexts to justify new access restrictions on the platform. Known for his stance on digital privacy and freedom of expression, the entrepreneur has previously clashed with the Russian government over the sharing of user data.
Born in Russia and a longtime resident of France, Durov holds French and United Arab Emirates citizenship. Telegram, which reaches hundreds of millions of users worldwide, is also one of the most widely used messaging apps in Russia.
Tensions between platforms and states resurface
The decision has once again brought into focus the delicate balance between content moderation, user safety, and regulatory demands from governments on technology platforms. How globally operating digital platforms navigate the security policies and legal demands of different countries continues to be one of the most contentious issues in the technology and communications sector.
