Telegram founder says France leads EU effort to scan private messages
(MENAFN) Telegram founder Pavel Durov has accused France of spearheading an EU initiative that could compromise online privacy by scanning private messages. Speaking Tuesday, Durov noted that the bloc recently postponed the proposed “Chat Control” law after Germany opposed the plan.
The legislation, aimed at combating child sexual abuse material (CSAM), would require digital platforms to identify and report harmful content, including messages secured by end-to-end encryption. While EU officials frame it as a tool to protect children, critics argue it could enable mass surveillance and erode fundamental digital privacy.
Durov shared a message from Telegram directed at its French users, claiming politicians are backing “an authoritarian law.” The post named current and former interior ministers, Laurent Nunez and Bruno Retailleau, as supporters of the measure that purports to “fight crime,” yet targets ordinary people.
“Today, we defended privacy: Germany’s sudden stand saved our rights. But freedoms are still threatened. While French leaders push for total access to private messages, the basic rights of French people – and all Europeans – remain in danger,” the message states.
The Telegram founder also noted that the proposed law exempts officials and police messages, and that criminals could easily bypass detection using VPNs or other tools. Despite being shelved earlier this week over privacy concerns, the initiative faced strong opposition from Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, and Poland, who warned it could set a dangerous precedent by enabling the scanning of all online communications.
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