❤️ I deeply appreciate all the support and love from everyone! Last month, after arriving in Paris, I underwent a four-day interrogation by the police. They suggested that I might be held personally accountable for the misuse of Telegram by others, as they claimed that Telegram had not responded to requests from French authorities.This was surprising for several reasons:
1. Telegram has a designated representative in the EU, specifically for handling requests from EU authorities. This contact information has been readily available to anyone who searches for “Telegram EU address for law enforcement.”
2. French authorities have had multiple ways to contact me directly. As a French citizen who frequently visited the French consulate in Dubai, I have personally assisted them in the past, including setting up a direct communication channel with Telegram to address terrorism-related concerns.
3. Typically, when a country has issues with a service, they take legal action against the service itself. Holding a CEO personally accountable for the illegal actions of third parties using a platform they manage, based on laws that predate smartphones, is not a reasonable approach. Developing new technology is already a challenge, and no innovator will want to create new tools if they could be held responsible for potential misuse.
Striking the right balance between privacy and security is complex. It involves reconciling privacy rights with law enforcement needs, and navigating the intersection of local and EU laws. We also need to consider the limitations of technology. As a platform, it’s crucial to maintain global consistency while preventing misuse in countries with weaker legal frameworks. At Telegram, we are committed to engaging with regulators to find this balance. We stand by our principles, shaped by our mission to protect users, particularly in authoritarian regimes, but we remain open to dialogue.