Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested last Saturday in France. The charges against Durov include allowing the spread of illegal activities on the Telegram platform and insufficient monitoring of messages. The allegations include serious claims such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and distribution of child abuse materials.
This arrest in France ironically contributed positively to the popularity of Telegram. The app rose to second place in the Social Networks category on the App Store in the United States and showed a four percent increase in global downloads. Particularly in France, Telegram rose to the first place in the social networks category, placing third overall in the rankings.
Pavel Durov and Freedom of Expression
Pavel Durov’s commitment to freedom of expression and this arrest led to mixed reactions among users. Some users saw this as an attack on freedom of expression, while others argued that illegal activities need to be curbed. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the arrest was the result of an investigation and that the decision rested with the judges.
The Rise of Telegram and its Connection to the Arrest
It is understood that Telegram’s recent rise occurred not just after the arrest but as a result of a gradual process. This situation is related to the delay in news dissemination and the late updating of metric analyses.