Telegram founder Pavel Durov appeared before a French court on Friday, promising to enhance moderation efforts on his platform amid charges related to illegal content, including child pornography and drug trafficking.
Durov, arrested in Paris in August 2024, was released on €5 million bail and has been banned from leaving France.
He assured the court that Telegram deletes millions of user accounts each month for illegal activity and cooperates with law enforcement to combat such crimes. Durov also defended his platform’s actions, saying he became aware of the issues only after his arrest.
Despite the charges, his legal team insists he should not be held responsible for crimes on the platform.
