Telegram CEO Declares: We’ll Leave the EU Before We Surrender User Privacy
Pavel Durov draws a hard line against proposed encryption backdoors, placing user trust above market access.
Durov’s Stand: Privacy Before Profit
In a bold statement that has reignited the debate over digital privacy, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has vowed that the messaging platform would exit countries like France rather than compromise user privacy by implementing encryption backdoors.
“Telegram would rather exit a market than undermine encryption with backdoors and violate basic human rights,” Durov wrote in an April 21 post to his “Du Rove’s Channel” on Telegram.
His comments come amid growing pressure from French and European Union lawmakers to grant authorities access to encrypted private messages through hidden backdoors — a move that privacy advocates say would cripple end-to-end encryption.
Backdoors: A Gateway for More Than Just Law Enforcement
Durov didn’t mince words when explaining the danger of government-mandated backdoors:
“It’s technically impossible to guarantee that only the police can access a backdoor,” he warned.
He pointed out that hackers, cybercriminals, and even foreign intelligence could exploit such vulnerabilities, making them a serious security risk to millions of users.
Ironically, Durov noted that such invasive policies would likely drive criminals to smaller, less-regulated platforms or push them into using VPNs to mask their activity, rendering the regulations ineffective.
A History of Refusing to Compromise
Telegram has long prided itself on its unwavering stance on user confidentiality. While the platform does comply with valid court orders in certain jurisdictions — such as providing IP addresses or phone numbers involved in criminal cases — it has never handed over private messages.
“In its 12-year history, Telegram has never disclosed a single byte of private messages,” Durov affirmed.
He emphasized that Telegram’s limited cooperation aligns with the EU’s Digital Services Act, and made it clear:
“We don’t trade privacy for market share — unlike some of our competitors.”
The Battle for Encryption Is Just Beginning
Although a recent attempt by France’s National Assembly to enable secret message access was rejected in March, Durov cautioned that the larger European battle over digital privacy is far from over.
He cited the European Commission’s “ProtectEU” proposal, introduced earlier this month, which seeks “technological solutions to enable lawful access to data by 2026.”
This proposal has drawn fire from privacy advocates and lawmakers, including Finnish MEP Aura Salla, who warned it would “fundamentally undermine the cybersecurity principles” it aims to protect.
“No country is immune to the slow erosion of freedoms,” Durov said. “Every day, those freedoms come under attack — and every day, we must defend them.”
Legal Challenges Mount for Telegram’s CEO
Durov’s stance arrives at a time when he himself is facing legal scrutiny in France, accused of facilitating illicit activity on the Telegram platform. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $550,000 fine.
Still, the Telegram chief remains defiant, placing the protection of user privacy above all else — even if it means pulling out of major markets.
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