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Why has the founder of Telegram been arrested?

And what this says about free speech, and even the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Pavel Durov’s arrest could impact free speech, and the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Over the last few years the social media and messaging app Telegram has become increasingly popular. It’s different from other apps, like WhatsApp and Facebook, partly because it allows you to create massive groups, of up to 200,000 people. But the app has also faced criticism relating to disinformation, and the sharing of conspiracist, neo-Nazi, paedophilic, or terror-related content.

On Wednesday Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was placed under formal investigation in France as part of a probe into organised crime on the app. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ tech reporter Graham Fraser tells us what we need to know about Telegram, and this investigation.

Telegram has often been used by pro-democracy protesters, including in Hong Kong. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s Fan Wang explains.

And there has been a massive reaction to Durov’s arrest in Russia. The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ’s Karine Mirumyan tells us why the Russian military, and government, use the app - and whether this arrest could impact the war in Ukraine.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Alex Rhodes
Producers: Mora Morrison and Zofia Louise
Editor: Verity Wilde

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15 minutes

Last on

Sat 31 Aug 2024 02:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 30 Aug 2024 17:50GMT
  • Sat 31 Aug 2024 02:50GMT

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