Telegram Faces Defining Moment as Legal Woes Grow

Pavel Durov admits Telegram isn't perfect—but nonetheless insists that his recent arrest in France is "misguided."

The entrepreneur's argument boils down to this: while he's the founder of a messaging app that's used by 950 million people, he can't be held personally responsible for illegal activity on the platform.

Supporters of Durov claim the French are being heavy-handed, and could ultimately stifle innovation. Nonetheless, Telegram's reputation as being a hotbed for drug trafficking and child pornography is cause for concern—and critics argue more should be done to clamp down on crime.

On his official Telegram channel, the CEO insisted that his company has an official representative in the European Union who handles requests from law enforcement agencies—and there were "numerous ways" to contact him personally if further assistance was required.

Durov claimed that he's been targeted within the framework of antiquated legislation that's unfit for the digital age.

"If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself. Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach."

He went on to stress what Telegram is doing right—asserting that the messaging platform takes down "millions of harmful posts and channels every day"—complete with transparency reports so users and outsiders can verify what's going on.

But he conceded that the app has suffered from growing pains that have made it easier for criminals to take advantage, meaning it is now his "personal goal" to make improvements.

Durov now appears to be on the front foot—declaring that moderation on Telegram will be transformed "from an area of criticism to one of praise."

Some users have bristled against this vision—arguing that it's crucial for freedom of speech to be preserved, and the actions of a small minority shouldn't have an impact on a law-abiding majority.

Telegram as a business, and Durov as its leader, now face a defining moment after years of breakneck growth—momentum that's propelled this app from a tool used by fringes of society to one relied on by world leaders.

A balance will need to be struck, as appeasing regulators could end up alienating the very users who have made this app a runaway success.

It's inevitable that the unfolding legal saga will have severe ramifications on Telegram's future plans, which until recently included a rumored IPO in the U.S and ambitions to become a "super-app" like WeChat in China.

While the legions of button-smashers who play clicker games like Hamster Kombat will pay very little attention to this investigation, the column inches it garners in the press will likely deter everyday consumers from downloading Telegram—stifling growth and undoing the progress made in rehabilitating the tech giant's image.