Telegram founder Pavel Durov removes 'problematic content' after arrest in France

Pavel Durov, the enigmatic founder and chief executive of Telegram, announced that the messaging platform had removed a significant amount of "problematic content" after facing legal pressure in France. The statement comes weeks after his high-profile arrest at Le Bourget airport near Paris, where he was charged for failing to curb illegal activity on the app.
Durov, addressing his 13 million subscribers on his personal Telegram channel, admitted that the platform’s search feature had been exploited by individuals selling illegal goods, violating the platform's terms of service. "Over the past few weeks, we’ve used artificial intelligence to thoroughly comb through Telegram and ensure all the problematic content we identified in Search is no longer accessible," Durov said.
The announcement follows increasing scrutiny of Telegram’s role in facilitating criminal activities, with critics claiming the platform failed to effectively moderate extremist content. In response, Durov pledged to strengthen Telegram’s oversight, sharing that the company had updated its terms of service and privacy policy to cooperate with legal authorities. "We won’t let bad actors jeopardize the integrity of our platform for almost a billion users," he emphasized.
Durov, who holds Russian, French, and UAE citizenships, was arrested on August 24 and charged with failing to address extremist and terrorist content on Telegram. Although released on a €5 million ($5.6 million) bail, he must remain in France and report to authorities twice weekly during the investigation.
While Durov initially criticized his arrest, he has since made key concessions to French authorities. Earlier this month, he announced updates to Telegram's "people nearby" feature, promising to connect users with legitimate businesses instead of scammers and bots. "This year, we are committed to turning moderation on Telegram from an area of criticism into one of praise," Durov declared.
Durov, who is known for his low-profile lifestyle despite an estimated fortune of $15.5 billion, has built a reputation for promoting ascetic living, including ice baths and abstinence from alcohol and caffeine. His latest moves to strengthen Telegram’s moderation reflect a shift in approach as the platform grapples with increasing regulatory pressure.