Tech Billionaire, Elon Musk, Voices Concern on the Arrest of Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov
2 years ago 2 min read
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Elon Musk, chairman of social media platform X, expressed dismay on Saturday after the purported arrest of Telegram CEO and founder Pavel Durov.
On Saturday evening, French media reported that Telegram’s creator was held at Le Bourget airport.
This occurred while exiting a private plane, which supposedly arrived from Azerbaijan. According to the local news, Durov, a French citizen, was on the country’s wanted list.
According to them, the French court system believes Durov is implicated in crimes for a variety of reasons, including Telegram’s failure to cooperate with the country’s authorities.
Elon Musk immediately responded to the news on his social media platform.
Musk tweeted a Grok message from his official X account with the mocking description, “Check out this commercial for the First Amendment. “It is very convincing.”
The tweet described Durov’s detention and highlighted the ongoing inquiry into Telegram’s moderation methods.
Musk used the hashtag #FreePavel on his social media platform X. The hashtags #FreePavel and #FreeDurov appeared as supporters protested Durov’s arrest and demanded his release.
Durov is recognised for his strong stance on privacy and free speech, and he frequently clashes with government officials over his devotion to protecting user data and rejecting spying.
Musk also joked that by 2030, people in Europe could be executed for liking memes.
“POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” Musk captioned his post.
This comment emphasised Musk’s concerns about the future of free speech in Europe, implying a dystopian scenario in which even minor internet acts could result in serious consequences.
