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11-09-2024 06:38:00 - Updated: 11 September, 2024
In an unexpected turn of events, Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has been arrested in France, according to recent reports. While official details about the specific charges are still awaited, some sources have indicated that the arrest may be related to the alleged lack of moderation on Telegram, which has facilitated illegal activities such as drug sales, money laundering, and other crimes. However, the situation has sparked a broader debate about the hypocrisy of the West regarding the prosecution of Telegram, while platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram are also used for similar purposes without facing the same level of scrutiny.
⏰ Telegram and Drug Trafficking: The Real Motive?
Telegram has stood out for its focus on privacy and encryption, making it a popular tool for those seeking secure and surveillance-free communications. However, this focus has also led to criticism of the platform for its use in illicit activities, such as drug sales and substance trafficking. In the past, several governments have pointed to Telegram as a haven for criminal groups due to its policy of not censoring or intervening in users’ private conversations.
According to some analysts, Durov’s arrest could be motivated by pressure from Western governments seeking to control and regulate platforms where communications are not easily monitored. Drug sales are a real problem, but the question is: why focus attacks solely on Telegram?
⚠️ The Hypocrisy of the West: What About Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram?
What is paradoxical is that, while Telegram is singled out and its CEO arrested, other equally popular platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram are also widely used for drug sales and other crimes, without their executives facing similar consequences. These social networks, owned by Meta, have been pointed out multiple times for facilitating the sale of illegal substances, weapons, and even human trafficking, yet they have not faced the same level of persecution.
The issue lies in the fact that these platforms are more willing to cooperate with Western governments, providing access to data and cooperating with censorship in certain contexts. Telegram, on the other hand, has maintained its stance of protecting privacy at all costs, which could be generating friction with those seeking greater control over global information and communications.
🌺 A Pretext to Control Privacy?
Durov’s arrest could be seen as a pretext to exert greater control over a platform that has been a headache for governments seeking to monitor private communications. The privacy and encryption offered by Telegram are not only a problem for security agencies but also for those who wish to maintain a monopoly on information.
On the other hand, the lack of action on the same issues in other popular platforms exposes the hypocrisy of those who criticize Telegram. Drug sales, scams, and other illegal activities are not exclusive to Telegram; however, it is this platform that receives the bulk of the criticism and backlash, possibly due to its independence and lack of cooperation with authorities.
✅ Conclusion and Pevgrow’s Opinion: Is Security Really the Problem or Control?
Durov’s arrest and the narrative surrounding the fight against drug sales on Telegram highlight an evident double standard in the West. While Telegram is pointed out as the main culprit, it is deliberately ignored that other dominant platforms also harbor the same problems. Is it really about protecting society from drug trafficking, or about eliminating a space where communications are truly private and out of reach of those seeking to control them?
At Pevgrow, we observe these events with concern, as they reflect a trend towards restricting digital freedom under questionable pretexts. Privacy and the right to communicate without surveillance are values that should be protected, and this case may set a dangerous precedent for the future of free online communication. Time will tell if this action against Telegram expands to other platforms or if, as many fear, it is simply an attempt to silence a channel that refuses to align with global surveillance policies. From our perspective, this is yet another example that shows that authorities are only concerned with controlling what is published; drug sales are just the pretext, and they certainly will not end it by killing the messenger as they want to do.
*News video: PAVEL DUROV | The CEO of Telegram, champion of freedom, fled from Russia and arrested in France
It is incredible the hypocrisy of the West: they arrest the CEO of Telegram for alleged drug sales, while other platforms continue to operate without issues, displaying a double standard that cannot be ignored.