Telegram and the limits of free speech

If any one person embodies both the miracles and maladies of our digital age, it is probably Pavel Durov, the Russia-born founder of the Telegram messaging app

who was detained in Paris on Aug 24

. To his supporters, Durov is a hero for creating a safe space for free speech. To his detractors, he is a villain for abetting criminal activity. In truth, he may be both.

Before rushing to judgment, it is worth considering Durov’s personal history. When I interviewed him in 2015, two years after Telegram’s launch, Durov told me about his family’s tragic past.