Durov claims Russians possess more press freedom on Telegram than EU residents
(MENAFN) In a New Year’s message, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, argued that the European Union imposes more media restrictions on the platform than Russia does. He pointed out that while Russian media outlets have been banned in the EU due to sanctions and the Digital Services Act (DSA), Western media channels on Telegram remain freely accessible in Russia. Durov commented that, surprisingly, by 2025, Russian users of Telegram would enjoy more media freedom than Europeans.
The EU has imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russian media since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, leading to the ban of outlets like RT, Sputnik, and RIA Novosti across the bloc. These restrictions have been enforced unevenly across different EU states and platforms. As of the recent report, Russian outlets are inaccessible on Telegram in several EU countries, including Poland, France, and Italy.
Durov’s statement comes amid growing tensions with the West over his platform’s moderation policies, with the Russian Foreign Ministry criticizing these EU actions as political censorship. Additionally, Durov has faced legal challenges in France, where he is being investigated for allegations related to the platform’s moderation and its use for criminal activities.
MENAFN05012025000045015687ID1109056197
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.