Telegram founder Pavel Durov has publicly renewed his accusations against France’s foreign intelligence agency, the DGSE, claiming it sought to suppress conservative voices on his platform under the guise of combating terrorism and child exploitation. In a new post on Monday, Durov called the French government’s stated law enforcement concerns a “manipulation tactic,” asserting their true focus was political, reports RT.
The controversy stems from an earlier claim by Durov that Nicolas Lerner, head of the DGSE (Directorate-General for External Security), attempted to coerce him into shutting down Romanian Telegram channels ahead of the country’s presidential runoff election. France's intelligence service has denied any political motivation, stating that its communication with Durov was solely to remind him of his obligations to help combat terrorism and child pornography.
Durov, however, rejected this narrative, saying child abuse was never brought up in the meetings. “They did want IPs of terror suspects in France,” he said, “but their main focus was always geopolitics: Romania, Moldova, Ukraine.” He added that Telegram has actively worked against child abuse since 2018 through content fingerprinting, moderation teams, partnerships with NGOs, and transparent reporting.
“Falsely implying Telegram did nothing to remove child porn is a manipulation tactic,” Durov wrote, defending his company’s moderation record as “verifiable and long-standing.”
Durov’s legal issues with France began in August 2024 when he was arrested and charged with complicity in crimes allegedly committed through Telegram, including the distribution of extremist content and child abuse. After posting €5 million in bail, he dismissed the accusations as baseless and was permitted to leave the country in March, following assurances of increased cooperation with international authorities.
The Dubai-based company revised its privacy policy in September 2024, allowing for the collection and retention of user metadata—such as IP addresses and device details—for up to a year. That data can now be handed over to legal authorities if users are suspected of engaging in criminal activity.
The recent controversy erupted amid political tensions in Romania, where a runoff presidential election was triggered after the Constitutional Court invalidated the initial results. Right-wing candidate Calin Georgescu, who won the first round unexpectedly, became a focal point of EU criticism. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance cited the case during a February speech in Munich as evidence of democratic backsliding within the EU.
Telegram has also faced increasing scrutiny in Europe. Late last year, major Russian news channels on Telegram were blocked across the EU. Durov condemned the move, accusing the European bloc of imposing more censorship than even Russia.
As allegations of political interference mount, Durov remains defiant, framing the DGSE’s actions as a broader attempt to manipulate digital platforms under the pretense of public safety.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
