Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was officially charged in France and has been released on €5 million bail. He will not be allowed to leave the country. Meanwhile, Telegram faces ban risk in Indonesia
Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, is officially under indictment in France. After a court appearance on August 29, 2024, he was released upon paying a €5 million bail but was prohibited from leaving the country. The trial involves several charges related to his role within the messaging service.
Details of the Investigation
French authorities launched an investigation into Durov starting in July 2024, accusing him of complicity in illegal activities, money laundering, criminal association, and providing encryption services without prior declaration. Durov was arrested on August 24 at a French airport. After being held in custody, he was released on August 28 but remains under judicial supervision.
Possible ban on Telegram in Indonesia
Local sources indicate that Indonesia, one of the countries with the largest number of Telegram users globally, is considering a ban on the messaging platform due to insufficient moderation of illegal content. Budi Arie Setiadi, Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Information Technology, stated that authorities are evaluating the potential ban of Telegram.
According to the minister, Indonesia is concerned about the distribution of illicit content on Telegram, including alleged involvement in promoting online gambling and the dissemination of pornography. Local authorities are also considering a possible ban on Bigo Live, a global live streaming app owned by Singapore-based Bigo Technology, due to similar accusations.
Lack of Improvement in Content Moderation
Budi stated that both Telegram and Bigo had committed to improving content moderation following requests from the Indonesian government. However, the companies have not implemented more effective moderation measures nor provided a concrete resolution. The minister added that he would personally prefer to “shut down” Telegram and Bigo Live, but proper studies are necessary before proceeding with the bans.
He warned that further evidence of illegal content distribution on the platforms would inevitably lead to their bans in the country, stating: ‘We act based on the evidence gathered by our team. If we find evidence of pornography or the promotion of gambling, we will proceed with blocking the platforms.’
Importance of Telegram in Indonesia
Indonesia is the third-largest country in the world in terms of Telegram usage. If Indonesia were to ban Telegram, the messaging platform would lose a substantial portion of its user base. According to Demandsage data, Indonesia is the third-largest country in the world in terms of Telegram usage, with over 27 million app downloads.
As of July 2024, Telegram had more than 950 million active monthly users, with India leading with over 100 million and Russia in second place with 34 million users.
