Telegram Founder Warns of Censorship Risks in France Amid Digital Services Act Scrutiny

Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, has issued stark warnings about France's increasing reliance on legislative frameworks like the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which he argues could precipitate societal collapse. Durov likened these policies to 'Trojan horses,' ostensibly designed for consumer safety but increasingly wielded as tools for political censorship.

In an interview with Le Point, Durov emphasized the slippery slope of such measures, noting that today's targets—so-called conspiracy theorists—could soon include the architects of these very laws. He cautioned that top-down control of information erodes public trust and destabilizes democratic institutions.

Durov revealed direct pressure from French intelligence, including a meeting at Paris's Hôtel de Crillon with Nicolas Lerner, head of France's intelligence agency, where he was urged to censor pro-conservative content related to Romania's 2025 presidential election. Telegram's commitment to neutrality and aversion to political entanglements led Durov to reject these demands, framing them as part of a broader trend of governments silencing dissent under the guise of combating disinformation.