The arrest of Pavel Durov, the owner of Telegram, in France fits into the broader strategy of clamping down on social networks across Europe. Not long ago, the EU passed its own “Digital Law,” which obliges IT giants to remove any content deemed objectionable by any EU member state. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to 6% of the company’s global revenue. Similar bans are being introduced in the UK, but with fines amounting to 10% of revenue.
Twitter/X and Telegram have been particularly accused of providing a platform for participants in recent clashes described as racial riots in England. The situation reached the point of absurdity when the cause of the pogroms was not attributed to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Britain but to the communication of right-wing activists on Telegram. The presence of uncontrolled sources of information has driven the Labour Party-led government and their allies across the English Channel to madness.
The legal attacks against Pavel Durov and Elon Musk have thus been a long time in the making. American Republicans have strongly advised Elon Musk, the owner of “X,” not to visit Europe, as he could be arrested there. The Democrats, meanwhile, are increasingly pleased to see their interests being enforced. In the U.S., similar crackdowns are harder to implement due to constitutional restrictions, which is why they use Brussels as their megaphone.
However, the fines have not yet achieved the desired results, forcing the authorities to escalate by directly threatening the owners of these platforms. Pavel Durov will face significant challenges, as his Russian background further complicates his situation. Musk, on the other hand, may hope that if Donald Trump wins the presidential election, he could gain a position in the White House, allowing him to launch a counteroffensive against European bureaucracy.
Translated and edited by L. Earth
