Telegram: Freedom and crime

When Pavel Durov and his brother wanted to communicate free from censorship in 2014, they thought of creating the Telegram platform, which was built in a way that protects privacy and provides security for communicators, while at the same time keeping away from the surveillance of other platforms.

When other major platforms used by hundreds of millions around the world fell into the trap of eavesdropping, hacking, and making private information and data available to third parties, millions moved to the Telegram application in search of privacy and to ensure the protection of their data and personal information.

What distinguishes the Telegram platform - whose number of users is approaching one billion people - is that it does not impose restrictions on users and does not reveal their data, which gives its users more freedom compared to other major platforms.

Undoubtedly, this feature is a double-edged sword, as it serves the oppressed and those looking to express their opinion freely and safely, while at the same time it allows criminals and those looking for dark areas in the virtual world to carry out their criminal and illegal operations.

For those who use Telegram, it is clear that it uses a different method of content management. Although this method allows the platform to be exploited in a bad and sometimes evil way, it also has clear and significant positives, which made it the first choice for the oppressed in hot areas and with regimes that are excessively oppressive. The most important thing in using any platform remains that people are looking for the truth and want to see and hear the truth away from political and ideological biases and away from the positions of those in charge of the platforms.

The first thing that came to mind when it was announced that the platform's founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested upon landing at Paris Le Bourget Airport was that freedom of opinion, expression and privacy protection are in danger, which is of concern to everyone working in the field of human rights. Until the charges against Durov are proven, the world must defend these values ​​that are actually in danger and in need of more work to preserve them. What Elon Musk said commenting on Durov's arrest, "It is not unlikely that by 2030 people will be executed in Europe for liking satirical symbols," does not seem sarcastic, but may be a reality in one way or another in the not-too-distant future.

This arrest raises many questions: Do other platforms comply with official authorities' requests to provide private information and violate users' privacy? Are other platforms not involved in the activities that France accuses Telegram of? And to what extent can platforms maintain their independence, neutrality and non-interference from governments in their work?

The French judiciary released the Telegram founder after days of detention pending investigation, with a travel ban and a large bail of 5 million euros, after he was arrested by French security on charges including Telegram’s refusal to cooperate with the country’s authorities, which makes Durov involved in a number of crimes including drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud.

For its part, Telegram confirmed after the arrest of its founder that it had nothing to hide, that it had not committed any violations, and that it was committed to the regulations and laws of the European Union. It said in its official statement, “We abide by the laws of the European Union, including the Digital Services Act, and our content monitoring meets accepted industry standards and is constantly improving. It is absurd to claim that the platform or its owners are responsible for its misuse... Nearly a billion users around the world use Telegram as a means of communication and a source of vital information, and Durov has nothing to hide, and he visits Europe frequently.” The big question in the world of social media and smart applications remains: Who has the last word?