French authorities have arrested Pavel Durov, the CEO of the messaging app Telegram, over allegations that the platform is not doing enough to moderate its content.
The arrest, which has chilling implications for free speech in Europe, occurred on Saturday night when Durov arrived in France on a jet that left Azerbaijan. Durov was born in Russia but left in 2014 and now has citizenship in France and the UAE, where Telegram is based.
According to reports, France is accusing Durov of not doing enough to curb criminal activity on the app. “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” Telegram said in a statement on Durov’s arrest.
Telegram also said that it abided by EU law. “Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving,” it said.
On Sunday, French judicial authorities extended Durov’s detention. According to AFP, the initial period of detention for questioning can last up to 96 hours. After that, the judge can decide to free him or pursue charges and keep him behind bars.
Telegram has over 900 million users worldwide and is widely used in Russia and Ukraine, where it’s relied on as a source of information on the war.
Durov told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in an interview earlier this year that he left Russia after the Russian government asked for personal information about users of VK, a social media site similar to Facebook that he founded in 2006. Durov said he was given the choice to hand over information when he was asked or sell the company and leave Russia, and said he chose the latter.
Durov also said in the interview that he had faced pressure from the FBI during visits to the US. He said one of his engineers was approached by US government officials who wanted to hire him as part of an effort to give the US a back door into Telegram to access user data, similar to how US intelligence agencies have access to American tech platforms.
It sounds like the guy was truly trying to hold up standards of privacy and free speech and he is getting harassed from all sides.
There has been some great early breaking news on Telegram that no site has covered. That’s why they all want to kill it. It is ahead of their propaganda narratives.
They want us all to become mushrooms; in the dark and covered with shit.
Fascist America at work again!
Thank God for Disqus. …Wait!? wut
For an Olympic event most people have forgotten in favor of Solo Synchronized Swimming, or Beach Volleyball, Disqus is holdin' on…!
I would recommend to watch the interview Pavel Durov to Tucker Carlson. It is remarkable that United Arab Emirates happened to be the most tolerant and safest country for platform Telegram. Of course, Telegram is not quite politically neutral. RT, for example, is banned there. Still it is the best of what is available.
Jon Met and Existential Dread give great, concise summaries of the significance of Telegram, and Durov's interview with Tucker is a great witness of the significance of freedom….he is choosing, with the help of his brother's ingenious encryption method, to support the free exchange of ideas, even abhorrent ideas, trusting that people can figure out the truth, instead of the immense wealth of a Meta, though he is wealty. There seems to be nowhere to hide. Russia tried to censor him, then the US. Greenwald is in Brazil and his husband died of some sudden illness. The problem with UAE is that they seem to be funding the death and destruction the rebels in Sudan are doing, whereas Egypt is probably the best arbiter of peace there, as they have been with Israel and Hamas, though Egypt does not want to allow Ethiopia to develop what it can at the source of the Nile, something they often were able to work out in the past
As Durov said, he never was harassed in UAE. It would be wise for him to stay in UAE and never travel in EU and other pro-neo-Nazi countries.
Sharia law is the main source of legislation in the United Arab Emirates.
https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en
https://dlp.dubai.gov.ae/en/Pages/default.aspx
There could be different applications of Sharia law. ISIS and Ichkeria terrorist states also based their legal systems on Sharia law.
The socialist regime will probably free him, but this arrest has the same purpose as when similar things are done by the socialists in Germany, Britain and the U.S.: Terror. If you oppose their plans for Western nations they will sabotage your life and even ruin it.
Glenn Greenwald on Rumble/YouTube has reported of many cases like this. At the very least you will be held at the airport for hours while they go through your things and possibly copy your cellphone and computer.
Robert Kennedy said that when he thought of running as an independent, people told him he would need a large team of lawyers and millions of dollars, because the Social Democrats would sue him all over the country to terrorize him. And that is exactly what happened. When his team brought the huge boxes full of signatures, they were dragged to court in state after state on trumped-up charges.
The socialists across the West use lawfare while their tax-financed organizations direct terrorist communist groups in the streets, and smash the windows of immigration critics in the middle of the night, burn their cars, attack them and beat them outside their homes, threaten their girlfriends or spouses and children, and call their employers to threaten them. As the majority of Europeans and Americans have turned away from the socialists, their main project is mass immigration to win elections with imported votes, and then attack anyone who objects.
And they can't allow social media where people can show what is happening.
The Democrats are not socialists, you are off by miles. They are neoliberal neocons. There is socialism for monopolies who get mega financial subsidies while everyone else has to pull themselves up by boot straps. This is dogma shared by both parties.
Affirmative Action for the wealthy and well connected. In both parties. Both parties answer to a higher power, the power of money, influence. Not us pithy creatures.
Yes, this^
Democrats are Corporate Socialists. That is: privatize profits and socialize the costs. Look at their donor base. Bankers, Wall Street, Silicon Valley monopolies, Big Pharma, the Medical Insurance Industrial Complex, Big Agriculture, and of course, the Military Industrial Complex.
Both parties are owned by plutocrats and the MIC.
You’re preaching to the choir. Fascism is a union of government and corporations. That’s what we have.
But Trump has nuns priests & angels!!
Are you an anti-socialist, an anti-communist?
You need to get out of your basement.
You turned it upside down. Those who are working for the oligarchy, can't be socialists. Socialism is about heavy taxing the rich and supporting the working class. Oligarchs are afraid of socialists. That's why they are creating the mess and bringing in millions of migrants. The socialists are based upon working people who create the national wealth. Socialism is about the fair distribution of national wealth.
Can’t remember who said it, but the truism goes something like this:
“Under capitalism, it’s dog eat dog. Under socialism, it’s the reverse.”
What was HAPPENING & IS HAPPENING GENOCIDE IN GAZA BUT RFK Jr NEVER NOTICED THE TENS OF THOUSANDS WOMEN & CHILDREN BEING KILLED!!! HE ALSO DIDN'T THING ISRAEL IS AN APARTHEID STATE EVEN THOUGH KIDS ARE TRIED IN MILITARY COURTS UNDER MILITARY LAW… …HE NEEDS A SEEING LIE DOG……!!!!!!!
Durov left Russia and lives in the UAE because he didn't want to hand over information about Vkontakte users, and he can't live in the West because the socialist parties would attack him, like in France now.
So the United Arab Emirates is a safer place. Incredible.
Telegram was actually first restricted in various ways in Russia, but Russians found ways around the restrictions and the authorities gave up. Telegram is the favored information method by both the pro-Russian and the pro-Ukrainian side in the war. I don't use it myself but I constantly hear about information on YouTube that comes from Telegram. It is especially useful because you can see when both Russians and Ukrainians report on something, so you can verify what happened.
You can also see Ukrainians and Russians who are critical of how their governments have conducted the war. There is a whole lot of debate that can't be found in ordinary media.
But this didn't save Durov from persecution. How dare he allow free speech for both sides?
It’s more about the genocide in Gaza. Telegram had fast breaking accounts of the Iranian fireworks show, when they initially tempered their response to Israeli attacks; And on the ground reporting.
Israel is the sacred cow. Pun intended. Israeli data was breached by Iran. It’s most likely negative information was being transmitted on Telegram.
Genocide is, indeed, a word Israel is well acquainted with!
When a society gets it's jollies tuning into a TV station (channel 12 in Israel), then watch video of a gang rape of a Palestinian man by IDF soldiers, and literally cheer the actions, it represents a dead society.
Rothschild brough Macaron to politics. Rothschilds found him and made him what he is now.
Did Russia come after at the request of Israel? You will never know .
…Wait for it… …It's Russia's fault. …Durov is the Nord Stream Bomber! Macron! You are brilliant! You killed a billion doves, carrying olive branches, with one stone.
Macron is taking orders from big boys. They told him to capture the hostage, he did it.
The man is Biden's panty waste.
I thought he was his toilet. Shows you I know nothing.
The French oligarchy are, have always been, and always will be, assholes.
Talking about EU law and US law: Do you think that the Internet contains a rights-free space?
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2024/08/26/france-extends-detention-of-telegram-ceo-pavel-durov_6721620_13.html
https://www.reuters.com/world/who-is-pavel-durov-ceo-messaging-app-telegram-2024-08-25/
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/digital-services-act_en
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act-package
https://www.bruegel.org/dataset/dataset-eu-legislation-digital-world
https://www.bruegel.org/sites/default/files/private/2023-07/Tables_Scott_Kai.pdf
https://www.eu-digital-services-act.com
https://freedomhouse.org/article/eu-digital-services-act-win-transparency
https://www.taylorwessing.com/en/insights-and-events/insights/2021/06/uebersicht-zu-eu-digitalisierungsvorhaben
https://www.mofo.com/resources/insights/240202-european-digital-compliance-key-digital-regulation
https://www.newamerica.org/oti/reports/everything-moderation-analysis-how-internet-platforms-are-using-artificial-intelligence-moderate-user-generated-content/legal-frameworks-that-govern-online-expression/
https://insightplus.bakermckenzie.com/bm/data-technology/united-states-now-is-the-time-to-evaluate-your-online-content-moderation-program
https://www.onlinecensorship.org/pages/cda-230
https://www.scotusblog.com/2024/06/justices-side-with-biden-over-governments-influence-on-social-media-content-moderation/
https://www.justice.gov/archives/ag/department-justice-s-review-section-230-communications-decency-act-1996
https://www.eff.org/de/issues/cda230
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46751 Section 230: An Overview
Thanks for sharing. From the EFF article: "When harmful speech takes place, it’s the speaker that should be held responsible, not the service that hosts the speech." https://www.eff.org/de/issues/cda230
Basically yes, but how do you deal with the fence (person who receives and disposes of stolen goods) or aiding and abetting etc. in terms of criminal law?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavel_Durov
DISPENSING THE TRUTH SHOULD NEVER BE A CRIME…ESPECIALLY WHEN IT REVEALS THE CRIMES OF THE STATE……!!!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.antiwar.com/who.php
" http://Antiwar.com represents the truly pro-America side of the foreign policy debate. With our focus on a less centralized government and freedom at home, we consider ourselves the real American patriots. "America first!" regards the traditions of a republican government and non-interventionism as paramount to freedom – a concept that helped forge the foundation of this nation."
Does ‘Antiwar’ pay homage to Trump and the Republican Party?
Low UAE tax rates for billionaire Pavel Durov prevail in Dubai, the desert city of the super-rich.
https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/finance-and-investment/taxation
https://dls-dubai.com/en/how-does-dubai-finance-itself-without-taxes/
“Does ‘Antiwar’ pay homage to Trump and the Republican Party?”
Antiwar.com is a non-profit that doesn’t endorse candidates for election. And opinions vary among those who work here.
The late Justin Raimondo, one of the site’s founders, gave a nomination speech at the 2000 Reform Party convention for Pat Buchanan, and was seems to have followed his mentor, Murray Rothbard, down the path from libertarianism to the “Old Right.”
Our editorial director, Scott Horton, seemed pretty excited by RFK until he came out toeing the Zionist line on Gaza. Not sure who, if anyone, he supports now.
If I saw Donald Trump rolling around in the street on fire, I wouldn’t piss on him to put it out. Ditto Kamala Harris. I expect to vote for the Libertarian Party’s candidate, Chase Oliver, in November. That could conceivably change, but it won’t change to Trump or Harris.
So the medium ‘antiwar’ harbours a conservative, capitalist, economically liberal, free market, nationalist, patriotic, minimally governmental position. Please compare:
https://www.lp.org/platform/
https://www.lp.org/ludwig-von-mises-is-winning/
https://cowburnforag.com/robs-plan/
https://www.stevefeldmanforcongress.com/my-positions
https://mises.org/topics/libertarianism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mises_Institute
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_school_of_economics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_(United_States)
https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/commentary/the-new-libertarian
youtube: Inside the Mises Caucus Takeover of the Libertarian Party
https://www.econlib.org/of-mices-and-mises/
https://lpmisescaucus.com
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/21/nx-s1-4987678/chase-oliver-libertarian-president-trump-mises-caucus
https://votechaseoliver.com/platform/
https://reason.com/2024/07/24/the-problem-is-spending-libertarian-presidential-nominee-chase-olivers-vision-for-the-future/
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/libertarian-gop-alt-right/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/murray-n-rothbard.asp
https://jacobin.com/2023/04/libertarians-right-left-capitalism-socialism-mises-rand
https://www.businessinsider.com/exposing-the-racist-history-of-libertarianism-and-murray-rothbard-2011-10
https://mises.org/profile/scott-horton
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-episode-interview-with-scott-horton/id1258988092?i=1000529312333
https://libertarianinstitute.org/scotthortonshow/
The medium "antiwar" "harbours" an anti-war position.
On other issues, the people involved with the medium "antiwar" "harbour" varying positions.
youtube: America's Proxy War Secrets with Scott Horton
https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2023/09/20/scott-horton-speech-on-provoking-al-qaeda-russia-and-china/
https://scotthorton.org
https://www.marxists.org/archive/bourne/index.html Randolph Bourne Archive
" http://Antiwar.com is one project of our parent foundation, the Randolph Bourne Institute. It is a program that provides a sounding board of interest to all who are concerned about U.S. foreign policy and its implications.
Our politics are libertarian: our opposition to war is rooted in Randolph Bourne's concept that "War is the health of the State." "
After UK received the glorification of arresting and jailing Assange, and then the end of it by plea bargain, now France wants to show that they're not any less than UK and they can be on top of Rogue Regimes in Europe…!
They can't shut down Telegram ! Then how will people in YouTube comment sections imitating a video's creator scam people by asking to find.me.on.Telegram ??
Margaret Kimberley @freedomrideblog
WikiLeaks @wikileaks
After Iran Steals Sensitive Israeli Data, Israel Tries to Censor the Internet
Anti-Israel hackers stole troves of sensitive Israeli data and are now publishing gigabytes of secret and classified information. Unable to stop the hacks, Israel is waging a futile war to against the leaks
~@HAARETZ
How much of this data shows the great Oz behind the curtain?
I always appreciate your brevity ED!
There is no Great Oz, only drooling idiots.
Who is the victim of this putative ommissin? Has there been one? Why didnt Facebook 's CEO ever get arrested for inciting violence by Israel leadingto death or why was not ever been punished for morbid content of soft sex and ruining mental health of kids?
Lying, spying, censoring bastards never sleep.
I can no longer stand the sight of or the verbal drool which oozes from the orifice of El Presidente. The man has completely disgraced himself through his actions, his demeanor, and his verbal ejaculations.
Western "leadership" has reached levels of mediocrity unparalleled in my lifetime.