Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov promised to step up efforts to fight criminality on the messaging app, his first public comments since French authorities handed him preliminary charges for allegedly allowing the platform's use for criminal activity.
In a Telegram post late Thursday, Durov defended himself against the French judicial investigation, suggesting that he shouldn't have been targeted personally.
“Using laws from the pre-smartphone era to charge a CEO with crimes committed by third parties on the platform he manages is a misguided approach,†the post said. “Building technology is hard enough as it is. No innovator will ever build new tools if they know they can be personally held responsible for potential abuse of those tools.â€
While insisting that Telegram is not “some sort of anarchic paradise,†Durov said surging numbers of Telegram users “caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform.â€
“That’s why I made it my personal goal to ensure we significantly improve things in this regard. We’ve already started that process internally, and I will share more details on our progress with you very soon," he said.
French investigators detained Durov at Le Bourget airport outside Paris in late August and questioned him for four days as part of a sweeping probe opened earlier this year. Released on 5 million euros bail, Durov has to report to a police station twice a week. Russia-born, he has amassed multiple citizenships, including French.
French allegations against Durov include that Telegram is used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that the platform refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.
In his post, Durov said that while in police detention, "I was told I may be personally responsible for other people’s illegal use of Telegram, because the French authorities didn’t receive responses from Telegram.â€
“This was surprising for several reasons,†he added.
He said Telegram has an official representative in the European Union who replies to EU requests, with a public email address.
Telegram's website informs users that they can contact the app through a bot and includes a link to report illegal content. It also includes an email address and phone number for “competent authorities of the EU and EU members†to use. “If you are not a competent EU or EU member authority, your request will not be processed,†it says.
In his post, Durov said “French authorities had numerous ways to reach me to request assistance." He said he also had previously worked with them to “establish a hotline with Telegram to deal with the threat of terrorism in France.â€
“If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to start a legal action against the service itself,†he said.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump is safe following what the FBI says 'appears to be an attempted assassination' while playing golf two months after another attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, has died at age 70.
The fall sitting of Parliament begins Monday, as members of Parliament resume their work in the House of Commons for the first time since June.
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Canadians in two federal ridings are choosing their next member of Parliament, and political parties are closely watching the results.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of 'what appears to be an attempted assassination' at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities†for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance did not back away on Sunday from the false claims he and Donald Trump have been making that Haitians in an Ohio community are abducting and eating pets, even as the state's GOP governor and other officials insist there is no evidence of such behavior.
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
The Calgary police paid tribute to a trio of Calgarians who saved the life of Lanny McDonald at the airport in February, 2024.
Abuse of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program has left a group of carpenters from Jamaica 'destitute' after an Ottawa company refused to pay them for nearly half a year of work.
Two people are dead after being rescued from a burning Atlantic Ave. building early Saturday morning. Winnipeg police say the fire was suspicious and the homicide unit has taken over the investigation.
Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown.
Ontario is proposing to further expand pharmacists' scope of practice by adding to the list of minor ailments they can assess, allowing them to administer more vaccines and order some lab tests.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump is safe following what the FBI says 'appears to be an attempted assassination' while playing golf two months after another attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Texas jury will soon decide whether a convoy of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump violently intimidated former Democratic lawmaker Wendy Davis and two others on a Biden-Harris campaign bus when a so-called 'Trump Train' boxed them in for more than an hour on a Texas highway days before the 2020 election.
The U.S. State Department has rejected claims of CIA involvement in an alleged plot to kill Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro, after Venezuelan authorities said they had arrested six foreigners, including a U.S. Navy SEAL.
Once a favoured holiday destination for Queen Victoria, and reputedly described in one of the greatest works of Italian literature, the Villa Palmieri is steeped in history and could now be yours – if you have more than €50 million (US$55 million) lying around.
At least eight people died during a failed attempt to cross the English Channel from northern France, French maritime authorities said Sunday.
As Prince Harry turns 40 on Sunday, royal commentator Afua Hagan charts the prince's path which has been defined by significant milestones and challenges from his time at Kensington Palace to his current life in his California mansion.
The fall sitting of Parliament begins Monday, as members of Parliament resume their work in the House of Commons for the first time since June.
The federal government is expanding a measure that bans tens of thousands of Iranian officials from entering Canada.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre signaled the Liberals' carbon price and the economy will remain his prime target when Parliament resumes this week.
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Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese technique that has been used for hundreds of years to treat a wide variety of conditions, according to an Ottawa expert.
As we head into another respiratory illness season, here’s a look at where Ontario stands when it comes to COVID-19 and what you need to know.
A billionaire spacewalker returned to Earth with his crew on Sunday, ending a five-day trip that lifted them higher than anyone has traveled since NASA's moonwalkers.
Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, never experienced a ruinous population collapse, according to an analysis of ancient DNA from 15 former inhabitants of the remote island in the Pacific Ocean.
Stuck-in-space astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams said Friday they appreciated all the prayers and well wishes from strangers back home.
More high-profile names in Hollywood and the entertainment world are offering their support for Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. Here's a look at who has endorsed who.
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Economists anticipate that Canada's annual inflation rate in August fell to its lowest level since March 2021.
When it comes to plant-based alternatives, Canadians have never had so many options — and nowhere is that choice more abundantly clear than in the milk section of the dairy aisle.
China’s economy softened in August, extending a slowdown in industrial activity and real estate prices as Beijing faces pressure to ramp up spending to stimulate demand.
If you have beef with your neighbour and you feel it's gone too far, what should you do? A personal injury lawyer has some advice.
Quebec tabled a bill on Thursday that would regulate how merchants determine suggested tips, forcing businesses to calculate them based on the price before tax. Restaurant staff and management are divided on the policy.
Over the past 20 years, injuries related to dog walking have been on the rise among adults and children in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University researchers. Fractures, sprains and head trauma are among the most common.
Hunter the Lynx, mascot for the Edmonton Oilers, was recently ranked as the fourth-worst Canadian NHL mascot – or fifth best, depending on how you look at it.
Jose Berrios allowed two hits over seven innings to win a seventh straight start and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. registered his 500th career RBI as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Saturday.
The NCAA has given full approval for Gallaudet’s football team to use a helmet designed for players who are deaf or hard of hearing for the remainder of the season.
Stellantis’ Windsor Assembly Plant has given a first look at the new Dodge Chargers coming off the line. It is preparing for the upcoming Dodge Charger Daytona production launch.
Vehicles used to come with a "full-sized" spare tire, but about 30 years ago, auto manufacturers moved to a much lighter, smaller tire, sometimes called a "donut spare." But now, depending on the car you have, it may not have any spare at all.
Hyundai and General Motors have agreed to look for ways to work together on developing new vehicles, supply chains and technologies in an effort to cut costs and move more quickly.
Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
A Facebook post has sparked a debate in Gimli about whether to make a cosmetic change to its iconic statue.
A Pokémon card shop in Richmond is coming off a record-setting month, highlighted by a customer opening a pack to discover one of the most sought-after cards in the world.
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.
Perhaps Saskatchewan's most famous encounter with Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP/UFO) – "The Langenburg Event" is now being immortalized in the form of a collector's coin.
It's been 420 days since 22-year-old Abbey Bickell was killed in a car crash in Burnaby, a stretch full of heartbreak for her family as they not only grieved her death, but anxiously waited for progress in the police investigation. Wednesday, they finally got some good news.
A Simcoe, Ont. woman has been charged with assault with a weapon after spraying her neighbour with a water gun.
The dream of a life on water has drowned in a sea of sadness for a group of Chatham-Kent, Ont. residents who paid a Wallaceburg-based company for a floating home they never received.
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B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities†for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
One person is dead after a car was found on fire in the parking lot of a rec centre in Coquitlam, B.C., Sunday morning, local Mounties confirmed.
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The fall sitting of Parliament begins Monday, as members of Parliament resume their work in the House of Commons for the first time since June.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of 'what appears to be an attempted assassination' at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
Sixteenth Avenue reopened to vehicle traffic Sunday, as the city continues to wrap up work on the Bearspaw feeder main.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of 'what appears to be an attempted assassination' at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
Around 2,000 people laced up for the 44th annual Terry Fox Run in Calgary Sunday, raising funds for cancer research and bringing hope to survivors and their families.
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Keeping lifeguards on duty at Ottawa’s public beaches an extra eight days until Labour Day would cost taxpayers $59,000 a year, while extending supervised swimming hours at beaches an extra hour a day through the summer would cost $70,000.
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Lindsay Lake Farms in Middle Musquodoboit, N.S., is celebrating the opening their sustainable farm, and bison herd, to the public after four years of work.
The Saint John Police Force is investigating a sudden death following the discovery of a body at an encampment in the city on Saturday.
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Officers with Saskatchewan RCMP are on scene of a semi fire on Highway 1 – approximately eight kilometres west of the village of Webb.
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Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
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Charges laid after a neighbour was sprayed with a water gun, a man-made island appears in the Grand River, and bikers flock to Port Dover for Friday the 13th.
Saskatoon’s 44th annual Terry Fox run took place on Sunday, uniting the community, and country in a shared goal of raising funds for cancer research.
Police have laid charges in relation to the suspicious death of a 28-year-old man on Beardy's and Okemasis' Cree Nation.
The community of Gravelbourg, Sask. said goodbye to a well-known landmark this weekend – as its nearly century-old water tower was taken apart.
A person from Greater Sudbury died and two other individuals were transported to hospital after a five-vehicle crash near Port Dover, Ont., late Saturday afternoon.
The FBI said Donald Trump was the target of 'what appears to be an attempted assassination' at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday.
The Township of Billings on Manitoulin Island is contemplating banning swimming in the pool below iconic Bridal Veil Falls in the Village of Kagawong.
Norfolk OPP say they were on the scene of a five vehicle collision on Blueline Road in Port Dover on Saturday evening at around 6:00 p.m.
A brief statement released on Saturday by the board confirmed that the Ministry of Education will be helping to audit the school board’s finances.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, St. Thomas police say that an officer on patrol spotted a man on Talbot Street on a bicycle that had previously committed several traffic violations.
A search is underway in Penetanguishene for a youth who went missing while swimming at Huronia Park on Sunday.
The Simcoe-Muskoka region raised more than $100,000 in support of cancer research, as thousands took part in their nearest Terry Fox Run on Sunday.
One person is dead after a three-vehicle crash in Mulmur township Saturday afternoon.
With lots of local kids heading back to school in recent weeks, motorists are once more sharing the road with school buses.
Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown.
On Wednesday, the Windsor Residence for Young Men (WRYM) gave MPPs Andrew Dowie and Lisa Gretzky a look into the effect of the $152,800 grant that they received.
B.C. will be opening “highly secure facilities†for people with addiction and mental health issues in the province, officials said Sunday.
Travellers, business groups and politicians expressed fervent relief on Sunday after Air Canada and the union representing thousands of its pilots negotiated a new labour deal and averted a disruptive, countrywide shutdown.
A daytrip to the backcountry turned into a frightening experience for a Vancouver couple this weekend.
More than a year after a missing Kamloops, B.C., woman’s body was found, her son has been arrested and charged with her murder, Mounties announced Friday.
A woman suffered life-threatening injuries after being stabbed during a home invasion in Kelowna, according to authorities.
A 12-year-old collie was killed by three pit bulls in the B.C. Interior Sunday morning, according to authorities.
Lethbridge police have located and arrested a man wanted on a number of outstanding warrants.
Lethbridge police say a 28-year-old man is facing charges of attempted murder following a frightening attack on a woman inside her home this week.
A police operation in near Vauxhall, Alta. has ended.
Ontario does have a new millionaire after Friday night’s historic $75 million Lotto Max draw – but they only won $1 million. The record-breaking jackpot was not won meaning the prize money will roll over into the next draw.
The creation of a new transmission line into Sault Ste. Marie has some residents upset due to a proposed route the line would take.
Ontario Provincial Police advised they had concluded their investigation in the Town of Chapleau shortly before 3:30 p.m.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
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