In a hearing held in France, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, signaled an intention to tighten how the platform handles content moderation amid regulatory scrutiny. France Info, a public radio outlet, summarized the remarks as part of ongoing coverage.
Durov, accompanied by three lawyers, pledged to strengthen Telegram’s moderation procedures during the session, according to the testimony.
He told the court that Telegram regularly removes between 15 and 20 million user accounts worldwide every month for violations of law. He added that as part of Telegram’s cooperation with law enforcement, roughly ten thousand pieces of user data have been handed over to authorities around the world in the last six months.
The testimony in Paris marked the first time Durov appeared in connection with a French investigation into possible ties between Telegram and criminal activity. Details of the interrogation were not disclosed.
Reports indicate that Durov was detained after arriving at Le Bourget Airport near Paris on the evening of August 24, having traveled from Azerbaijan. He faced six counts, including allegations of administering an online platform to facilitate illicit transactions.
Authorities imposed travel restrictions and set a five million euro bail under judicial supervision.
Earlier, Pavel Durov had been cited as an example and source of inspiration for Russian youth.