The head of Telegram Pavel Durov fled his native Russia in 2014 because he did not want to hand over user data to the authorities. Today he has both French and Emirati citizenship. He has also been wanted in France because of Telegram and has therefore avoided visiting the country for a while. But on Saturday night he was arrested. After the arrest, the hashtag #FreePavel has trended on X. Elon Musk, Andrew Tate and several famous entrepreneurs support Durov. Others are cheering the arrest and demanding that Telegram step up. Here are seven questions and answers about the matter. Why was the Telegram boss arrested? – Many have seen Pavel Durov as a hero, as Telegram has given them the opportunity to express opposition to oppressive regimes, says Håvard Lundberg. Photo: Tatan Syuflana / AP French authorities believe that Telegram lacks moderation, and that the company does not cooperate well with the authorities. This they believe makes Telegram complicit in international crime, according to the French TV channel TF1. Telegram, for its part, claims that it follows EU law, and that the moderation of the service is in accordance with standards that apply in the industry. – It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for misuse of that platform, writes Telegram on X. On Monday, the French public prosecutor elaborated that the Telegram boss was arrested in connection with a cybercrime investigation. The investigation includes everything from illegal transfers, images of abuse, fraud and refusal to provide information to the authorities, writes the Reuters news agency. As of today, Telegram has 800 million monthly active users, according to the analysis company Demandsage. How does Telegram differ from other messaging apps and social media? Several messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Messenger, have introduced end-to-end encryption. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – The biggest difference is probably the prehistory of Telegram. The app was developed because Durov wanted to create a place where people could freely share their opinions without being monitored by the authorities, says Håvard Lundberg. He is an analyst from the agency Analyze & numbers and has carried out several investigations into how misinformation is spread on Telegram. The values of Telegram are about freedom, Pavel Durov said at a conference earlier this year. Freedom to communicate privately, express oneself publicly and build apps and businesses. Durov allowed additional encryption on private conversations on Telegram, but this is something you have to turn on yourself. If you want to be absolutely sure that your calls are securely encrypted, the app Signal can be a better alternative, Lundberg believes. – Telegram is founded on ideals of freedom of expression and privacy, but there are several technical choices that could make the platform more secure, says Lundberg. Is Telegram only for criminals and terrorists? The image shows a Norwegian Telegram channel that sells various drugs. Photo: Agr Soni / news The short answer is: No. – Telegram is good for freedom of expression, but it also creates major challenges for social security, says Lundberg. Telegram has a very liberal approach to content moderation. This means that both real and fake users are attracted to the platform. Anyone can freely spread misinformation, share harmful content and sell drugs and weapons on the app. news has previously written about how Norwegian young people easily obtain drugs on Telegram. We have also written about how war material is spread unfiltered on the platform. How do the Norwegian authorities relate to Telegram? They are critical of Telegram because of security concerns. The National Security Authority (NSM) has recommended that Telegram should not be used on company mobiles or work devices. This has led to the Ministry of Justice, the Storting and several municipalities and public institutions following these recommendations and discouraging the use of Telegram among their employees. How does the arrest of the boss affect Telegram as a service? Paper airplanes displayed as a symbol of Telegram’s logo outside the French embassy in Moscow on August 25, 2024, in support of Pavel Durov. Photo: STRINGER / AFP The case is still in an early phase, and it is difficult to say anything for sure yet. Pavel Durov has not been charged. In the short term, Håvard Lundberg believes that the arrest could give Telegram more attention, and that could lead to more people starting to use the platform. He doesn’t think the arrest will lead to major changes in Telegram anytime soon. – If charges are brought and this becomes a legal process, it will probably take time before we see any concrete results in the case, he says. In the longer term, he believes that the outcome of the case could be important, and perhaps affect other platforms. Should I delete Telegram from my phone? This is what the app looks like when it is downloaded on a mobile. Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP – Based on what has happened in France, I see no reason to make such a recommendation, says Lundberg. This must be a personal assessment. – There are many other apps that collect a lot of data about users. So if you’re worried about surveillance, there are plenty of apps other than Telegram that you should be worried about, says Lundberg. What should I be aware of if I choose to keep Telegram? Here are three tips. Photo: Emilie Holtet / NTB You have to be critical of sources. Don’t take everything you read about good fish. Try to find other sources that also report on what you have read or seen. If something seems too sensational or unbelievable, maybe it is. – The same applies to all other platforms, says Lundberg. Published 26/08/2024, at 22.18
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The Telegram boss has been arrested. Should I delete the app? – news Culture and entertainment
