The leaders of prominent social media enterprises have generally evaded personal consequences, even amidst increasing scrutiny regarding their responsibilities to their vast user bases numbering in the billions.
Platforms such as Facebook, X, and TikTok have consistently faced criticism from lawmakers for their inadequate responses to the proliferation of misinformation, while the founders have distanced themselves from the content shared by users on these platforms.
However, in an uncommon display of personal responsibility earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg, the head of the parent company overseeing Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, expressed remorse to families who reported that their children had suffered due to social media during his testimony at a United States Senate hearing.
Meanwhile, the action against Pavel Durov, co-founder of the Telegram messaging application, initiated by French authorities, sets a new standard.
Durov, 39, a Russian native, acquired French citizenship in 2021.
He partnered with his brother, Nikolai Durov, to establish Telegram in 2013.
The application, which boasts nearly one billion users globally, is recognized for its commitment to user privacy, promising encrypted messaging and safeguarding users’ communications from third-party access.
This feature has made it a preferred choice for whistleblowers and individuals facing threats; however, French legislators assert that this very privacy enables organized criminal activities.
Pavel Durov giving a speech in 2016. Pic: Reuters
After spending four days in custody in France, Durov now faces initial charges concerning claims that he permitted criminal activities on Telegram, including unlawful transactions, child exploitation imagery, and drug trafficking. He is also under investigation for allegedly declining to provide information and documents to investigators.
Telegram’s representatives have stated that the organization complies with EU regulations, and its content moderation practices align with industry norms.
The firm further commented: “It is ludicrous to suggest that a platform or its owner bears responsibility for the misuse of that platform.”
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Durov’s detention has caused a stir among other tech executives. Elon Musk, the proprietor of X, came to his defense, asserting that moderation is merely a “propaganda term for censorship.”
New legislation in the EU and the UK seeks to impose greater accountability on tech firms for potentially harmful content shared on their platforms.
Furthermore, Apple, Meta, and Google’s parent entity are also being scrutinized by the EU under separate regulations aimed at restricting the market influence of major tech corporations.
If these companies are found in violation, they could incur penalties amounting to as much as 10% of their global revenue.
Earlier this year, Apple was ordered to pay a larger-than-anticipated penalty of €1.8 billion (£1.4 billion) after being accused by the commission of “misusing its dominant market position” concerning the distribution of music streaming applications to iOS users via its app store.
There will be anxiety in Silicon Valley regarding Durov’s arrest, which may signify a shift away from the previously unrestrained approach that social media companies have enjoyed since their inception.
