Pavel Durov, founder of the secure messaging app Telegram, has been arrested in France as part of an investigation into crimes committed on the platform, including those involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM)

Telegram is used by many due to its reputation as one of the best encrypted messaging apps and has steadily grown in popularity since its launch in 2013

Thanks to its encryption level and refusal to hand over user data, the app is frequently used in countries where internet freedom is suppressed and citizens rely on the best VPNs to access content

Despite rumors circulating online to the contrary, French President Emmanuel Macron issued an official statement confirming that there was no political motivation behind Durov's arrest

In a statement released via X, Macron said: “The arrest of President Telegram on French territory was part of an ongoing judicial investigation This is by no means a political decision It is for the judge to decide”

Durov was being questioned regarding 12 charges, including fraud, drug trafficking, operating an online platform to enable illicit transactions, providing crypto services to criminals, refusing to communicate information to authorities, money laundering, and CSAM

Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, said Durov was arrested as part of an investigation launched by the agency's cybercrime unit on July 8 The subject of the investigation has not yet been disclosed

Durov was charged on August 29 with multiple counts of failing to properly address illegal and extreme content on Telegram and for “complicity” in the alleged crimes He was released on a conditional bond of 5 million euros ($55 million) and is also banned from leaving the country to face possible trial

It is currently unclear whether Durov will stand trial on the charges and who the initial investigation was about This information will determine the extent to which Telegram itself will be affected However, there is no doubt that the frequent users of the app, which has over 900 million users, are eagerly awaiting news on this matter

In any case, if you rely on Telegram for encryption, it would be a good idea to get additional privacy software, such as a VPN, to keep all of your Internet browsing encrypted, not just your messages That way, no matter what the outcome of Telegram, you and your data are safe

Telegram itself said in a statement: “Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe” The platform also stated that “it is ridiculous to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for the abuse of its platform”

Nevertheless, Meta is not the first social media platform to face potential legal consequences for illegal activities on its site; in March 2024, Meta was investigated by US prosecutors over whether the company had facilitated and profited from illegal drug sales on its social media site was investigated by US prosecutors regarding whether the company had facilitated and profited from the sale of illegal drugs on social media sites

In addition, in December 2023, the Commission initiated formal proceedings against X related to several violations of the Digital Services Act, including compliance with obligations regarding the fight against illegal content on platforms

Beyond the potential court case that Telegram's founder may face, Telegram users may want to switch to the encrypted messaging service due to its cybersecurity vulnerabilities The app came under fire this past July when it was discovered that a dangerous vulnerability allowed hackers to deploy malware disguised as video messages to victims

If you use Telegram and are concerned about potentially losing access to the service, you may want to look at alternatives Below are the top three Telegram alternatives based on in-house testing