Telegram founder Durov issues subtle criticism of Zuckerberg
The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, expresses skepticism regarding the commitment of other social media platforms to combat censorship. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has offered pointed criticism of Meta following its recent policy announcements, implying that championing free speech is straightforward when there is little at stake.
In a post on his messaging platform on Wednesday, Durov appeared to reference comments made by Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, which oversees Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, as Zuckerberg revealed notable changes to the company's policies.
On Tuesday, Zuckerberg announced that Meta would discontinue its controversial third-party fact-checking initiative in the US, acknowledging that these measures often “shut out people with different ideas" and suggesting that they did more harm than good. He cited Donald Trump’s win in the previous presidential election as a catalyst for this decision, describing the recent elections as a “tipping point” that shifted the focus toward prioritizing free speech and decreasing censorship.
In response, Durov remarked, “It’s easy to say you support something when you risk nothing,” while alluding to various platforms that he claims are now advocating for reduced censorship. Although he didn’t name Meta directly, his remarks were pointed.
Durov predicted that those making such changes would face a “real test of their newly discovered values” should the political atmosphere shift once more, asserting that the principles of his own company “don’t depend on US electoral cycles.”
“I’m proud that Telegram has supported freedom of speech long before it became politically safe to do so,” he added.
His comments followed revelations made just a week earlier, in which Durov discussed the restrictions Telegram faced in the EU due to anti-Russia sanctions. He claimed that Russians enjoy greater media freedom on Telegram than Europeans, as all Western media is “freely accessible” in Russia, while certain Russian media faces restrictions in the EU under DSA and sanctions laws.
Additionally, Durov encountered significant legal troubles in the EU the previous year. The Russian entrepreneur, who holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was detained in France and charged with multiple offenses, including complicity in distributing child pornography, drug dealing, and money laundering. French authorities alleged that Telegram’s allegedly lax moderation practices enabled criminal activity on the platform.
After being released on bail, he was prohibited from leaving France. In September 2024, Durov announced updates to Telegram’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, clarifying that the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate the platform's rules “can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.” He later acknowledged that the platform had been sharing such information with authorities since 2018.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
In a post on his messaging platform on Wednesday, Durov appeared to reference comments made by Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, which oversees Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, as Zuckerberg revealed notable changes to the company's policies.
On Tuesday, Zuckerberg announced that Meta would discontinue its controversial third-party fact-checking initiative in the US, acknowledging that these measures often “shut out people with different ideas" and suggesting that they did more harm than good. He cited Donald Trump’s win in the previous presidential election as a catalyst for this decision, describing the recent elections as a “tipping point” that shifted the focus toward prioritizing free speech and decreasing censorship.
In response, Durov remarked, “It’s easy to say you support something when you risk nothing,” while alluding to various platforms that he claims are now advocating for reduced censorship. Although he didn’t name Meta directly, his remarks were pointed.
Durov predicted that those making such changes would face a “real test of their newly discovered values” should the political atmosphere shift once more, asserting that the principles of his own company “don’t depend on US electoral cycles.”
“I’m proud that Telegram has supported freedom of speech long before it became politically safe to do so,” he added.
His comments followed revelations made just a week earlier, in which Durov discussed the restrictions Telegram faced in the EU due to anti-Russia sanctions. He claimed that Russians enjoy greater media freedom on Telegram than Europeans, as all Western media is “freely accessible” in Russia, while certain Russian media faces restrictions in the EU under DSA and sanctions laws.
Additionally, Durov encountered significant legal troubles in the EU the previous year. The Russian entrepreneur, who holds citizenship in France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, was detained in France and charged with multiple offenses, including complicity in distributing child pornography, drug dealing, and money laundering. French authorities alleged that Telegram’s allegedly lax moderation practices enabled criminal activity on the platform.
After being released on bail, he was prohibited from leaving France. In September 2024, Durov announced updates to Telegram’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, clarifying that the IP addresses and phone numbers of users who violate the platform's rules “can be disclosed to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests.” He later acknowledged that the platform had been sharing such information with authorities since 2018.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
