Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has issued a stark warning about the potential economic consequences of France’s aggressive legal actions against major tech companies, including X, which is owned by Elon Musk. According to Durov, France’s criminal investigations into these companies could damage the country’s economy and deter investment. His criticism of French authorities centers on their preference for prosecution over dialogue with tech leaders, which he argues could threaten long-term economic growth.
The French authorities have indeed launched a probe into X, accusing the platform of manipulating algorithms for the purposes of foreign interference. The investigation was prompted by complaints from a French lawmaker and a government cybersecurity official, who alleged that X had threatened French democracy. Musk has not commented on the matter, which has left the situation in limbo.
Durov, who faces separate criminal charges in France, has described his situation as ‘unprecedented.’ He was arrested in August 2024 on charges of complicity in crimes allegedly committed by Telegram users, including extremism and child abuse. Despite being released on bail, he remains under restricted supervision. In response to the legal challenges, Telegram has updated its privacy policy to allow the collection of metadata for up to one year, a move that aligns with French legal demands. Durov has dismissed the charges against him as baseless, with his lawyer calling them ‘absurd.’
Durov has also criticized the EU’s approach to free speech, stating that the bloc imposes more censorship and media restrictions than Russia. Last year, he noted that Russian news channels on Telegram were made inaccessible in the EU. In a recent development, he has announced a partnership with xAI, Musk’s startup, involving the integration of the Grok chatbot into Telegram. Musk has praised Durov for his stance on refusing to comply with France’s request to block conservative political content on the platform.