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Telegram and the limits of free speech
Its founder Pavel Durov has failed to distinguish between the demands of autocratic regimes and legitimate democratic requests.
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CEO and co-founder of Telegram Pavel Durov speaks onstage during day one of TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2015 on Sept 21, 2015.
PHOTO: AFP
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John Thornhill
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.
