Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, indicted for complicity in criminal activities, promises to strengthen moderation on his platform. Revelations which question the responsibility of applications in the fight against illegal content.
“A small, but growing fraction”
Indicted last August, Pavel Durov, co-founder of Telegram, spoke out about the accusations against his application. During a hearing in December relayed by AFP, he admitted having fully understood the facts alleged against the messaging service. According to the investigating judges, Telegram shelters groups linked to criminal activities, including child crime, the sale of drugs and weapons, as well as scams.
Pavel Durov, however, wanted to qualify: the users engaged in these practices would only represent “ a tiny fraction » from Telegram members. Founded in 2013 with his brother, the application was, according to him, never designed for criminals. Despite this, he concedes that their presence “ also increased » over the years.
Faced with criticism over the ease of access to this illicit content, Durov said he disagreed with the idea that Telegram would be more accessible than the dark web. He highlighted the platform's moderation efforts, saying that every month, 15 to 20 million accounts and up to 2 million groups and channels are removed.
However, authorities remain skeptical of these figures. Asked about public groups offering illicit substances, the CEO explained that certain slang terms, such as “shit” for drugs, were still escaping his algorithms. “ We are committed to improving our moderation processes “, he said, while acknowledging that Telegram has until recently focused on other markets more popular than France.
Commitments for better moderation on Telegram
Despite Pavel Durov's promises, magistrates point to inadequacies in judicial cooperation. In France, only four requests were satisfied by Telegram in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 673 in the last quarter. On a global scale, this figure reaches 10,000 users identified over six months, a figure considered insignificant compared to the 950 million active users.
-Headquartered in Dubai, Telegram recorded its first annual net profit in 2024, despite having an estimated debt of $2 billion. However, this indictment tarnishes the image of the company. Faced with criticism, Pavel Durov recalled that his teams, like him, “ respect the law » and intensify their efforts.
If Telegram claims to have been cooperating with the judicial authorities since 2018, these statements are difficult to convince. The management of illicit content on the platform remains a crucial issue to guarantee its credibility and meet the expectations of governments. Pavel Durov is now under pressure to prove that his commitments are not limited to words.
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