DISINFO: Telegram app founder Durov's arrest shows that the West is moving towards totalitarianism and Nazism

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: Telegram app founder Durov's arrest shows that the West is moving towards totalitarianism and Nazism

SUMMARY

The arrest of Telegram owner Pavel Durov in Paris once again confirms the fact that the liberal West has long buried generally accepted democratic values. Durov's refusal to politically censor the popular messenger app he created has long caused anger in the West.

The West, and above all Europe, are moving at leaps and bounds towards totalitarianism, the infringement of civil rights and, let's be honest, towards the revival of Nazism, which was buried in May 1945. A liberal dictatorship does not tolerate individuals who claim freedom and do not play by its rules.

RESPONSE

Disinformation around the arrest of the founder and director of the instant messaging platform Telegram Pavel Duro, who was arrested and taken into police custody on August 24, 2024 in France. This measure comes as part of a judicial investigation opened on July 8, 2024, following a preliminary investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office.

The judicial investigation was opened against an unnamed individual on the following counts:

- Complicity in administering an online platform to enable illicit transactions by an organised gang.

- Refusal to provide, upon request from authorised authorities, the information or documents necessary for conducting and exploiting legally authorised interceptions.

- Additional charges.

Refer to the communication by the French Prosecutor General for more details.

Since 2023, other online platforms in France, except Telegram, have agreed to comply with the Digital Services Act, making it easier for users to report inappropriate content. Social media platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) are also implementing measures against disinformation.

The lack of moderation on Telegram has led to the spread of false information, fabrications, impersonations, and hate speech. These problems have affected Telegram more than other similar platforms, notes Le Monde. However, pro-Kremlin outlets widely describe this situation as an "absence of censorship" and true freedom of speech.

See more disinformation cases on the decadent West and Nazis in Ukraine. Se other examples of cases featuring Pavel Durov here.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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