Telegram CEO “probably an easy target” for French authorities, expert says

A social media analyst says that Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was “probably an easy target” for French authorities following his arrest on Saturday. The Russian-born billionaire was detained by Paris police officers after landing in the French capital following an investigation into his encrypted messaging service — which is popular in Ukraine and Russia — and a lack of platform moderators. Durov, 39, faced a French court on Sunday and was accused of failing to curb the criminal use of his platform and for not cooperating with police investigating the exploitation of children, fraud, drug trafficking, and individuals promoting terrorism. Though social media specialist Fabrice Epelboin says he was unsure why Telegram was being targeted by the French government, he suggests that the allegations could be both “legitimate,” and blamed on Durov. Why? “Because when you welcome hundreds of millions of users, there are inevitably, at the margins, people who are completely outside the framework of the law,” Epelboin said. Durov is set to get out of police custody on Wednesday evening. After that, prosecutors must charge or release him. For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca Subscribe to Global News Channel HERE: http://bit.ly/20fcXDc Like Global News on Facebook HERE: http://bit.ly/255GMJQ Follow Global News on X HERE: http://bit.ly/1Toz8mt Follow Global News on Instagram HERE: https://bit.ly/2QZaZIB #GlobalNews #Telegram #PavelDurov