Durov: France at the forefront of eliminating PRIVACY in messaging apps

• France is leading a push for legislation that would require the scanning of all encrypted communications, including private, end-to-end encrypted messages, under the pretense of fighting crimes like child sexual abuse material.
• Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is a vocal critic, labeling the EU’s “Chat Control” law as authoritarian and a “Trojan horse” that uses the fight against crime as a pretext to dismantle digital privacy and monitor citizens.
• Durov is personally facing legal pressure in France, where he was arrested and charged with complicity in various offenses, which he describes as a “Kafkaesque” and politically-driven effort to force his compliance with censorship demands.
• The proposed law would effectively end private messaging by forcing tech companies to install backdoors in encryption, enabling unchecked government surveillance and stripping citizens of fundamental rights.
• Durov warns that this sets a dangerous global precedent for censorship, which could lead to platforms like Telegram being banned in other countries, eliminating a key tool for independent news and activism.

France is at the forefront of eliminating privacy in messaging apps – with officials in the country supporting a new proposal to scan all encrypted communications, Telegram founder Pavel Durov has revealed.

The Russian-born tech billionaire took to X to share this revelation, accusing French authorities of using legal intimidation to force compliance with mass censorship demands. Durov, known for his staunch defense of free speech and encryption, also warned that the European Union’s proposed Chat Control law is a Trojan horse for authoritarianism under the guise of fighting crime.

The controversy centers on Paris’ aggressive push for legislation that would require messaging platforms to scan all encrypted communications – including end-to-end encrypted messages – ostensibly to detect child sexual abuse material. But Durov and privacy advocates argue the law would effectively dismantle digital privacy, enabling governments to monitor citizens’ private conversations while exempting officials and law enforcement from scrutiny.

“France led the push for this authoritarian law,” Telegram told its French users in a blunt message, which Durov reposted on X. “Such measures are supposed to ‘fight crime,’ but their real target is regular people.” The Telegram founder named French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez and his predecessor Bruno Retailleau as key supporters.

Durov’s legal troubles in France began last year when he was arrested and charged with complicity in illegal transactions, facilitating pornographic content distribution and narcotics-related offenses – accusations he dismisses as absurd and politically driven. During an appearance on “The Lex Fridman Podcast” early this month, Durov described the investigation as “Kafkaesque.” He also alleged that French intelligence pressured him to suppress conservative voices during elections in Moldova and Romania.

Why the Chat Control law spells the end of free speech

The timing of France’s support for the Chat Control law coincides with broader EU efforts to enforce digital control under laws like the Digital Services Act and AI Act, which Durov warns are paving the way for centralized information dominance. Despite Germany’s last-minute opposition delaying the Chat Control vote, the threat remains.

If passed, the Chat Control law would force tech companies to install backdoors in encryption, rendering private messaging obsolete. BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine warns that the Chat Control law and similar proposals would “enable unchecked government surveillance, eroding constitutional rights to privacy and due process while fostering a climate of fear and control. They also empower corporations and agencies to exploit personal data without warrants, stripping citizens of fundamental freedoms under the guise of security.”

“Every dictator in the world justifies taking away your rights with very reasonable-sounding justifications,” Durov told Fridman. “People lose their right to such a fundamental thing as privacy.”

The Telegram founder likewise criticized the use of investigative judges – figures who act as both prosecutors and adjudicators – creating a rigged process where appeals are delayed indefinitely. “The investigation itself should have never been started,” he said, accusing French authorities of manipulating the judiciary to silence dissent.

Beyond Europe, Durov warned that Western censorship sets a dangerous global precedent. Russia, for instance, is reportedly preparing to ban Telegram in favor of the MAX state-controlled app – which would eliminate one of the last independent news sources for Russians. “It would be a huge mistake to ban a tool like Telegram in any country,” Durov commented, noting its role in business, media and activism.

Despite mounting pressure, Telegram remains financially independent through premium subscriptions. This, Durov argues, proves that tech platforms can thrive without harvesting user data. The company’s embrace of blockchain further safeguards digital identities, making it impossible for governments to seize usernames.

As Europe teeters between democracy and digital authoritarianism, Durov’s warning is clear. Once freedoms are surrendered, they rarely return.

Watch Telegram founder Pavel Durov disclosing to Lex Fridman how French intelligence agents pressured him to censor the opposition in Moldova in this clip.

This video is from the Cynthia’s Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

RT.com

X.com

ReclaimTheNet.org

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com