Editorial: Free speech under scanner
Telegram CEO should not be seen as an accomplice to the crimes committed by the messaging app users
The popular messaging app, Telegram, is now at the centre of a raging debate over free speech following the arrest of its CEO Pavel Durov by the French authorities for failing to moderate the content on the platform that has over 900 million users. The detention raises troubling questions over what amounts to reasonable restrictions on freedom of expression and who gets to define it. Durov, who holds dual citizenship in France and the UAE, was taken into custody at Le Bourget Airport near Paris on his arrival from Azerbaijan. The charges against him are severe, including terrorism, narcotics trafficking, fraud, money laundering and receiving stolen goods, all of which could result in a 20-year prison sentence. This case sets a troubling precedent for the future of open communication in an increasingly authoritarian landscape marked by a growing tendency for censorship and government oversight of online content. National governments, especially those in the European Union, have intensified pressure on companies to address disinformation, online extremism, child safety and the spread of illicit material. Never in the past, a founder leader of a major company was arrested over what takes place on their technology platform. This is seen by many as an assault on freedom of speech worldwide. Telegram has long been on the radar of law enforcement agencies around the world because terrorist organisations, drug sellers, weapons dealers and far-right extremist groups have used it for communicating, recruiting and organising.
Founded in 2013, Telegram has grown into one of the world’s largest online communication tools and is central to everyday life in countries like Russia, Ukraine and India for messaging, getting independent news and exchanging views. The company’s growth has been driven partly by a commitment to free speech. Telegram’s light oversight of what people say or do on the platform has helped people living under authoritarian governments communicate and organise. But it has also made the app a haven for disinformation, far-right extremism and other harmful content. However, the company CEO should not be seen as an accomplice to the crimes committed by Telegram users. Otherwise, it would be akin to detaining the railway board chairman for the robbery committed by a passenger on the train. Durov, a technology creator who advocates absolute free speech on his platform, has built an anti-establishment image by allowing dissidents to use the messaging application. French President Emmanuel Macron’s assurance that his country is deeply committed to freedom of expression, innovation and the spirit of entrepreneurship has failed to inspire any confidence among the rights activists who contend that the arrest would have far-reaching ramifications for global free speech. Telegram’s popularity is attributed to it hosting huge chat groups of up to 2 lakh people at a time when other social media, like WhatsApp, were taking steps to cut back group sizes in efforts to combat disinformation.
