What is the deal with Telegram? How it works, privacy features and why Pavel Durov has been arrested

• Telegram is a popular messaging app founded by a Russian-born billionaire. 
• Pavel Durov was arrested in France in August 2024. 
• The 39-year-old has now been charged by French authorities. 

The co-founder of the popular messaging app Telegram has been charged over allegations it allowed ‘criminal activity’ on the service, French prosecutors have said.

Pavel Durov, 39, was arrested after landing in France earlier this month.

The tech CEO was detained by French authorities and has since been charged with prosecutors alleging the messaging service is complicit “in the administration of an online platform to enable illicit transactions”, according to the Financial Times. The Russian-born billionaire has been released on conditional bail but is unable to return to his home in Dubai. 

You may have heard about people using Telegram prior to this incident, but you may not exactly be sure what the app is all about. Here’s all you need to know: 

What is Telegram? 

To put it in layman's terms, Telegram is a messaging app similar to other popular options like WhatsApp, FB Messenger and Signal. However it also comes with a number of features you’d normally associate with social network apps - users can post stories - and users can “follow” other individuals. 

Telegram also has no limit on the number of people who can join a group chat or broadcast “channels”. Users can also leave comments in “channels” and reply back and forth to each other 

One of the big reasons that people are fans of Telegram is due to its focus on privacy. It is a major selling point for the app. 

What privacy measures does Telegram have? 

WhatsApp has provided ‘end-to-end encryption’ for all messages, calls and video calls since 2016. However Telegram goes a bit of a different route, it has a feature known as “secret chats” which users have to go through the process of setting up. 

On the privacy section on its website, Telegram explains how it works: “This means that all data is encrypted with a key that only you and the recipient know. There is no way for us or anybody else without direct access to your device to learn what content is being sent in those messages. We do not store your secret chats on our servers.” 

But as previously mentioned users have to set up “secret chats” and it can only be applied to two-way conversations. Users can also turn on two-step verification and also have the ability to send ‘self destructing’ media - so your pictures and videos will disappear after a certain amount of time. 

Who founded Telegram and when did it launch? 

The app was founded by Russian brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov in 2013. They had previously set up the social network VK but left it in 2014 after saying it had been taken over by the Russian government. 

Telegram was registered in the British Virgin Islands in March 2013, more than 11 years ago. But it now has its headquarters in Dubai. 

The Durovs say they came up with the idea for Telegram, a secure messaging app, because of their own need to communicate privately while the Russian security services were breathing down their necks. Both brothers have since left Russia, with Nikolai holding citizenship in Saint Kitts and Nevis since 2015, while Pavel has resided in Dubai since 2017 - however in 2021 he was naturalised as a French citizen. 

Telegram was initially released in August 2013 and is available on both iOS and Android devices. It can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play. 

Why has Pavel Durov been arrested? 

Telegram hit the headlines in August 2024 after co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov was arrested after arriving in France. He was traveling from Azerbijan and had just landed via private jet at Le Bourget airport when he was detained by French authorities, EuroNews reports.

He has been charged with a host of crimes including “complicity in administering an online platform permitting illicit transactions by an organised group”, according to NBC News - a charge which can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years behind bars. The French broadly allege that Telegram failed to properly stop its app being used in the service of crime. 

After being charged, a bail of 5 million EURO was set and he has been barred from leaving France. 

Have you used Telegram, what do you think of the app? Share your experience with our tech writer by emailing: [email protected].