Telegram CEO Pavel Durov warned about the internet turning from a ‘free exchange of information’ into an ‘ultimate tool of control’. The billionaire, who has had his run-in with French agencies for alleged violations on Telegram, said that time is running out to save the free Internet.
Durov turned 41 on Friday and used the occasion to highlight his concerns about the future of the internet. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Durov cited the ‘dystopian’ measures taken by many countries like the UK, Australia, Germany, and the EU.
”I’m turning 41, but I don’t feel like celebrating. Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers. What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control,” wrote Durov.
“A dark, dystopian world is approaching fast — while we’re asleep. Our generation risks going down in history as the last one that had freedoms — and allowed them to be taken away,” he added.
Durov mentioned the infamous Malicious Communications Act by the UK which was used to arrest users for their social media posts which cause annoyance, inconvenience, or anxiety.
He also mentioned the hate speech and defamation laws in Germany which have been used to arrest activists, journalists, and members of civil society for things like posting a meme, insulting politicians, and posting slander.
Notably, Durov was arrested by French authorities last year in August for Telegram’s alleged role in facilitating illegal activities. The authorities claim that Telegram‘s lax moderation, encrypted messages, and use of disposable numbers and cryptocurrency has enabled a large number of criminal activities on the platform.
In his recent post, Durov warned that society is on a path of self-destruction, which is why he will not celebrate his birthday.
“By betraying the legacy of our ancestors, we’ve set ourselves on a path toward self-destruction — moral, intellectual, economic, and ultimately biological. So no, I’m not going to celebrate today. I’m running out of time. WE are running out of time,” Durov added.
Elon Musk supports Durov’s birthday message:
Meanwhile, xAI owner Elon Musk retweeted the message by Durov while refraining from commenting on any of the issues he mentioned. Notably, Musk has also been critical of the arrests made by the UK government over social media posts by the users. Musk, who considers himself a free-speech absolutist, had also criticized Durov’s arrest by the French authorities last year as government overreach.