The bosses of the world's biggest social media companies have typically avoided personal repercussions, even when their platforms have faced scrutiny over their duties to their billions of users. Social media companies including Facebook, X and TikTok have repeatedly come under fire from policymakers for failing to sufficiently tackle the spread of misinformation, but their founders have maintained their distance from content published by users on the platforms.
After four days in French custody, Durov now faces preliminary charges over allegations that he allowed criminal activity on Telegram, including illicit transactions, images of child abuse and drug trafficking. He is also being investigated for allegedly refusing to share information and documents with investigators. Representatives for Telegram have said the company abides by EU laws and its moderation is in line with industry standards.