French authorities had recently arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov at a Paris airport. Just days ago, President Emmanuel Macron stated that the decision was not politically driven. According to authorities, the arrest was made due to Telegram’s alleged failure to moderate illicit activities on its platform, including human trafficking and money laundering.
Investigators from France’s National Anti-Fraud Office, linked to the Customs Department, informed Durov, 39, that he was being placed in police custody due to fraud activities reportedly facilitated through Telegram.
David Lin posed a question to Steve Hanke, Professor of Applied Economics and asked that since Telegram is one of the most widely used social media platforms globally, especially popular in Russia, the question remains: Was this action purely a response to legal violations, or was there a political motive behind it?
Steve said that Macron, years ago, had a significant meeting with Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram. During this meeting, Macron tried to persuade Durov to move Telegram’s operations to Paris, offering him French citizenship in return. This meeting took place several years ago.
Recently, a well-known satirical newspaper in Paris, “Le Canard Enchaîné,” reported that Durov flew to Paris from Iran, supposedly at the invitation of Macron. The paper, known for its reliable sources, suggests that Macron invited Durov to dinner in Paris, potentially setting up a political trap.
If the report is accurate, it implies that Macron, as the President of the Republic, had a deeper involvement with Telegram, possibly trying to entice Durov to relocate the company to Paris in exchange for citizenship. This dinner invitation, according to “Le Canard Enchaîné,” led to Durov’s arrest in Paris.
While this narrative unfolds, it raises questions about government authority and responsibility. Should governments, whether French, American, or others, have the power to arrest the founders of social media platforms if crimes are committed using their platforms?
