Pavel Durov Arrested, Laure Beccuau Prosecutor: Telegram Failed To Perform Content Moderation And Not Cooperating With The Authorities

Laure Beccuau; Telegram failed to moderate content and did not cooperate with the authorities (Photo; Doc. MidiLibre)

JAKARTA - The arrest of Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, by French authorities this week shocked many in the crypto world. The move raises fears of increasing pressure on software developers related to activity on their platforms.

Durov's detention took place in the context of an investigation that began on July 8, in which an unnamed individual was charged with various crimes, including offering cryptography services without government approval. According to prosecutor Laure Beccuau, the case underscores allegations that Telegram failed to moderate content and did not cooperate with authorities, particularly in fighting the spread of child pornography and the use of platforms for crimes such as drug trafficking and money laundering.

The case reminded many people at the trial of Alexey Pertsev, the developer of Tornado Cash, who earlier this year was sentenced to more than five years in prison by a Dutch court for being irresponsible of illegal transactions carried out through its automated crypto mixer tool.

Reporting from DL News, Durov and Telegram strongly reject these allegations. In a statement, Telegram stated that absurd is to assume that the platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of the platform by users. Telegram also confirmed that it complies with EU law, including the Digital Services Act, and continues to improve its content moderation.

However, this case sparked further debate over the extent to which developers are responsible for overseeing activities on their platforms. A number of crypto experts voiced concerns that this case could set a bad precedent, where app developers could be convicted of using their platform by third parties.

Durov's arrest because what others have done with his findings is a dangerous precedent, wrote Jose Fabrega, head of marketing at Metis, an Ethereum-based blockchain, on social media. This case, he added, has similarities with the Tornado Cash case.

In addition, many see this case as a test for freedom of expression. Noelle Acheson's crypto analyst called the action against Durov the latest "attack" against civil liberties. Ari Redbord, head of global policy at TRM, also highlighted the international implications of the case, especially tensions between the protection of free speech and the need to combat illegal activities online.