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Global response: Telegram's head was arrested, a tragedy for social platforms, privacy and freedom of speech

BlockBeatsBlockBeats2024/08/26 10:44
By:BlockBeats

Arrested or surrendered? Conspiracy theory or victim? What do Wall Street entrepreneurs, political leaders and crypto industry experts say about Pavel Durov?

The battle between power and privacy has never been so intense.


With the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France, the global cryptocurrency and technology community has set off an unprecedented public opinion storm. Durov's fate is not only a personal legal dispute, but also a concentrated manifestation of the global conflict between privacy protection, decentralized technology and state power. Top Wall Street entrepreneurs, technology leaders and crypto industry experts have stood up to support Pavel Durov. What kind of complex picture is hidden behind this battle between freedom and control?


Paper plane protest near the French Embassy in Moscow


BlockBeats sorted out the widespread reactions to Pavel Durov's arrest and interpreted the views and positions of all parties.


The Elegy of Social Platforms, Privacy and Free Speech


David O. Sacks, former COO of PayPal


David O. Sacks is the former COO of PayPal and is considered an important member of the "PayPal Mafia". This group of PayPal founders and early employees promoted the resurgence of consumer-centric Web 2.0 companies after the bursting of the Internet bubble in 2001. Sacks and his companions are often regarded as the source of inspiration and driving force of innovation in the modern technology industry.


On social media, David used a picture to express the different situations of several other major social media platforms. "One down. Three to go." seems to mean that the West is "wiping out" the other three.



David's picture obviously also hits the spotlight on several other social media platforms, with Musk and Rumble CEO speaking out one after another.


Musk spoke out many times


"This is propaganda for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It's Europe in 2030, and you're being executed for liking a meme," Musk pointed out sarcastically.


After Pavel Durov was arrested, Musk repeatedly expressed support for Pavel Durov on social media with the tag #FreePavel. In a video he posted, Pavel Durov said, "Musk's acquisition of X has made speech more free. This is a great progress. Humanity needs more social media like X and Telegram that uphold freedom of speech."



Musk's support reinforced his support for freedom of speech and linked it to Durov's cause, emphasizing their common goal in defending freedom of speech. After all, "It's Telegram today. It'll be X tomorrow."


Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski


and Durov It's not just Musk who is linked to the cause of the French government, but also the Canadian short video sharing platform Rumble. After Durov's arrest, Rumble's CEO Chris Pavlovski left Europe at full speed and expressed strong dissatisfaction with the French government's actions.



"France threatened Rumble, and now they have crossed the red line by arresting Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov, apparently because he refused to censor speech. Rumble will not tolerate this behavior, and we will use all available legal means to defend freedom of speech, which is a universal human right. We are currently fighting in the French courts and hope that Pavel Durov will be released immediately."


Pavlovski's statement shows that Rumble will firmly support Durov and challenge the French government's actions through legal means to safeguard freedom of speech worldwide.


Zcash founder zooko


Perhaps because he has his own unique insights on the "privacy issue", the founder of the privacy cryptocurrency Zcash expressed a completely different view on the arrest of Pavel Durov. He expressed dissatisfaction with many people's view of Durov as an oppressed hero, pointed out that there are serious problems with the Telegram platform, and questioned Durov's motives and the true purpose of Telegram.


“I really don’t like speculating about the struggles between these spies, but it really bothers me to see my compatriots (Balaji, Vitalik, Roman Storm, Noelle Acheson, Josh Swihart) treating Pavel Durov as an oppressed hero. Please consider the following facts:


1. Telegram is built on lies. Its entire brand is freedom, but in reality, it is architected to keep all users under surveillance and control by Durov, who have no idea about it.


2. Durov was not “caught by the police.” He deliberately flew to France, knowing that there was an arrest warrant waiting for him there.


3. There are articles that provide good reason to believe that Durov reached an agreement with Putin in June 2020 to hand over some Telegram users to Putin.


So, I hate censorship as much as you do, but when I see you defending Durov, I feel like you're being played. This isn't about censorship, this is about a fight between spies. Telegram isn't a censorship-resistant platform (like Signal or Zcash), it's a weapon. Because making people think they have privacy while actually spying on them is power over them, and states want that power. ”



Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs


Similar to the remarks of Zcash founder Zooko, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, also believes that this incident involves not only Durov himself, but also a larger geopolitical background and the complex situation of information warfare:


"Durov knew that he was on the wanted list, but still went to Paris. This looks like a conscious surrender to the judiciary, or someone made him believe that everything would be fine. However, his motives are not clear. There are two possible scenarios: one is a conspiracy on the Russian side, in which Durov played the role of a "kamikaze"; the other is that he cooperated with the West to fight against Russia. But until we understand his motives, these are just speculations."


Gerashchenko also pointed out that the background of Durov's arrest is closely related to Russia's actions in Baku and its intention to control Telegram. He believes that Durov may have negotiated with the Kremlin, and it may even involve the transfer of control of Telegram, but everything is unclear at present. Gerashchenko emphasized that Telegram plays an important role in global information warfare, especially in the post-Soviet region and other countries around the world.


Edward Snowden


Edward Snowden is also one of the six founders of the privacy cryptocurrency Zcash, but he has completely different opinions from zooko. Because of his own experience and as a well-known privacy advocate, Snowden expressed strong dissatisfaction with Durov's arrest and spoke out on social media: "The arrest of Pavel Durov is an attack on basic human rights, especially freedom of speech and association. I am shocked and saddened that Macron has resorted to hostage-taking to gain access to private communications. This not only shames France, but also degenerates the entire world." Is Durov a "victim" of international political games? In addition to the voices of the business community, government officials have also expressed their own different positions, but more seem to be accusing each other of different ideologies between countries through the arrest of Durov. Davankov, deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma The most anxious government at present may be Russia. Russian State Duma Deputy Chairman Davankov expressed great concern about Durov's arrest and called on the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take action to rescue the founder of Telegram. He sent a formal request to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in the early morning of August 25, urging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene in the matter. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs later stated that the Russian Embassy in France has taken necessary measures to actively understand Durov's situation.


Davankov's call reflects the importance that Russian officials attach to Durov's arrest, although Durov holds multiple nationalities, including Russia, France and the United Arab Emirates. It is reported that because Durov is a French citizen, he will not be exchanged or extradited to other countries, which adds complexity to the incident.


Ekaterina Mizulina, head of the Russian Secure Internet Alliance


For example, Ekaterina Mizulina, head of the Russian Alliance for a Secure Internet, posted on her Telegram channel that Durov’s arrest in France was a request from the United States:


“I have long believed that the head of Telegram is in danger outside of Russia and could be arrested at any time. Similar situations have occurred before at the request of the United States. I thought that no one took law enforcement action against Durov because he might have cooperated with Western intelligence agencies, but recent news shows that everything seems to be different.”


Mizulina also mentioned that the arrest may be intended to crack down on Toncoin, a cryptocurrency circulating on Telegram, and to continue the US sanctions policy. Her comments suggest that Durov’s arrest may involve deeper international political and economic games.


Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation


Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian President and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, has similar views to other Russian government officials, but his expression is more direct. He believes that those entrepreneurs who choose to betray their motherland have miscalculated.


"I asked Durov a long time ago why he was unwilling to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the case of serious crimes. He replied that this was my principled position. But I told him that this would cause serious problems in any country."


"He believed that his biggest problem was being in Russia, so he left and then obtained citizenship or residence permit in another country. He wanted to be an excellent world citizen and live a good life even without a motherland. As the Latin proverb says: Ubi beneibi patria! Wherever you live well, there is your motherland."


"But he miscalculated. For all the enemies we now face together, he is Russian, therefore unpredictable and dangerous, and he has a different blood." "He is not Musk or Zuckerberg (who, by the way, actively cooperate with the FBI). He should finally understand that the motherland, like the times, cannot be chosen..." Medvedev wrote.


Weibo CEO Wang Gaofei


Medvedev’s words may not have affected Pavel Durov, but they seemed to resonate with Weibo CEO Wang Gaofei, who quoted the passage on Weibo: “In the eyes of the common enemy, Pavel Durov is a Russian.”



Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.


US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his concern about Durov's arrest on social media. He pointed out: "France has just arrested Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, a platform known for its encryption and uncensorable nature. The need to protect free speech has never been more urgent."



Former U.S. State Department official Mike Benz


Unlike Robert Jr., more U.S. officials who spoke out on the matter, especially former U.S. officials, do not recognize that the United States is "completely innocent."


Former US State Department official Mike Benz has a different interpretation of Pavel Durov's arrest. He believes that this is the result of cooperation between the US government and France and is part of the international political game, suggesting that the US government is trying to control the Telegram platform in this way and warn the public about the security issues of other communication platforms:


"The US State Department played a role in the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov, and I urge Congress to subpoena all relevant communication records." Benz believes that this is a means for the United States to put pressure on Durov to force him to allow monitoring of Telegram. He also warned that WhatsApp has been compromised and your speech there is not safe.


Former US CIA analyst Larry Johnson


Former US CIA analyst Larry Johnson also expressed his views on Durov's arrest. He hinted that there may be more complex political motives behind Durov's arrest, especially when it comes to tensions between Western countries and Russia, and considered the charges against Durov a "fabricated political case": "Telegram is one of the few information channels that actually allows criticism of Western policies. I think this is really the root of the problem. There was a time when he was considered to have a good relationship with French President Macron, but this is obviously over, because this arrest would not have happened without Macron's knowledge and approval."


"Darkness is rapidly descending on the free world"


Well-known journalist Tucker Carlson


After Tucker Carlson, a well-known American conservative political journalist and commentator, launched his own program "Tucker on X" on Twitter, he interviewed Pavel Durov, so his remarks also received great attention. He mentioned in a comment on Twitter:


Pavel Durov left Russia as the Russian government tried to take control of his social media company Telegram. But in the end, it was not Putin who arrested him, but a Western country, an ally of the Biden administration and an enthusiastic NATO member.Pavel Durov was locked up in a French prison tonight, which is a living warning to any platform owner who refuses to censor the truth at the will of governments and intelligence agencies. Darkness is rapidly falling on the free world.



Russian-American computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman


Lex Fridman is a well-known Russian-American computer scientist and podcast host. His podcast has attracted celebrities including Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Zuckerberg as guests. After Pavel Durov was arrested, Fridman spoke out on social media, expressing his deep concern about the threat to free speech:


"The arrest of Pavel Durov is a disturbing attack on free speech, threatening not only Telegram but all online platforms. Governments should not engage in censorship, this is a blatant abuse of power and a deeply disturbing overreach." Fridman's remarks emphasized his opposition to excessive government intervention and censorship, calling for the protection of the freedom and independence of online platforms.



"This is another battle in the struggle between the Internet and the state"


The crypto industry appeared particularly united over the arrest of Pavel Durov. Comments from Ran Neuner, Balaji Srinivasan, Vitalik Buterin, Roman Storm, Noelle Acheson, and others reflect not only their support for Durov personally, but also their deep concern for privacy protection and free speech around the world.


Balaji, a well-known investor


"Pavel Durov defended the privacy of Ukrainians against the Russian government. But his reward was imprisonment in France." Balaji Srinivasan, a well-known investor and former CTO of Coinbase, sharply criticized the French government's handling of Durov's arrest. He believes that the French government is not really concerned about public safety or fighting crime, but is trying to strengthen control over the flow of information through this means.


Balaji pointed out: "France doesn't care about crime, they care about control. Macron has not yet been able to eliminate crime among 70 million French people, but expects Durov to manage 1 billion Telegram users with his meager content review power. This is completely unreasonable."


He further pointed out that France's policies are full of contradictions. It allows violent crime, terrorism and drug trafficking to run rampant in France, but takes extreme action against Telegram's CEO. He called the French government's approach an "anarchist regime" and questioned: "Is Macron responsible for every murder and robbery that occurs in France? Was he arrested while abroad for failing to "manage" his country "strictly enough?"


Balaji's remarks are not only a criticism of the French government, but also a profound reflection on how decentralized networks around the world can cope with state power oppression. : "This is another battle in the struggle between the network and the state. Can failed states stop the decentralized network? Hopefully not. But they will keep escalating through this show trial."



Ethereum founder Vitalik


Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin also expressed concern about Durov's arrest. As a technology leader who has also renounced his Russian identity, Vitalik has criticized Telegram's encryption practices, but in the current situation, he is more worried about the future of software and communication freedom in Europe.


Vitalik said: "I have criticized Telegram before for not taking encryption seriously. But (given the information currently available), this situation looks very bad and is worrying for the future of software and communication freedom in Europe." He particularly emphasized the importance of open source software and formal verification of security properties to ensure the protection of user privacy and data. These technical measures are particularly critical in the current global regulatory environment as they can provide users with greater protection from excessive intervention by states and institutions.



Vitalik's comments highlight the tension between decentralized technologies and state regulation. He believes that only through open source and formal security verification can users be guaranteed security and freedom when using these technologies.


Roman Storm, founder of Tornado Cash


Roman Storm, founder of Tornado Cash, is facing a similar situation as Pavel Durov. Tornado Cash is a decentralized privacy-preserving protocol based on Ethereum that allows users to conduct anonymous transactions on the chain, which has attracted the attention of regulators because it may be used for illegal activities such as money laundering and circumventing sanctions.


In August 2022, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Tornado Cash, and Roman Storm was arrested in the United States for Tornado Cash on charges of helping to launder money, and the government believed that he was responsible for the illegal use of the platform.


The sanctions sparked a strong response from the crypto community, with many believing that it violated privacy rights and restricted the development of Blockchain technology. Supporters believe that Tornado Cash's technology is essential for legitimate users who want to protect financial privacy. However, critics point out that the design of the technology makes it have obvious flaws in preventing abuse.


After Pavel Durov was arrested in France for Telegram's privacy and encryption features, Roman Storm's Twitter also retweeted several messages of support.



Noelle Acheson


Veteran crypto analyst Noelle Acheson published an in-depth commentary exploring the complex factors behind Durov's arrest. She believes that Durov's arrest is not just about censorship or free speech, but also about the deeper challenges of responsibility and privacy.


Acheson pointed out that French authorities seem to be more concerned about Telegram's lack of content moderation than the speech on the platform itself. "French law enforcement seems to believe that Telegram's refusal to accept supervision makes it responsible for criminal activity within the app. This means that the issue is not censorship, but responsibility."


She further mentioned that the current global erosion of privacy and escalating government control over information are eroding public trust in government. She warned that this trend could lead to greater social problems, especially when privacy rights and civil liberties continue to be infringed.


Jupiter co-founder Meow


Jupiter co-founder Meow expressed his views on Durov's arrest through social media, calling it a "borrowed knife" incident, and further called for the world to need a decentralized power structure to resist compromise with centralized financial power.


Pantera Capital partner Franklin Bi


In addition, Pantera Capital partner Franklin Bi also expressed his support for Durov through a short tweet, posting the hashtag "#FreePavel" to show solidarity.


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Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.

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