Telegram Refuses to Compromise Encryption Amid EU Pressure
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has issued a firm warning about increasing government pressure in Europe to weaken encryption on private messaging apps.
In a telegramshared on his personal Telegram channel, Durov criticized ongoing efforts—particularly in France and across the EU—that aim to introduce mandatory backdoors into encrypted platforms, a move he believes would compromise user privacy and security.
Rather than comply, Durov said Telegram would prefer to pull out of regions that demand such access. He emphasized that backdoors don’t just open the door for law enforcement—they create vulnerabilities that hackers and foreign actors can exploit. “There’s no such thing as a backdoor only the good guys can use,” he argued, adding that real criminals would simply use lesser-known tools and VPNs to evade detection anyway.
Despite cooperating with legal requests for basic user data like IPs and phone numbers in criminal cases, Telegram has never handed over private messages, Durov noted. He warned that diluting encryption under the guise of safety risks eroding essential digital freedoms—something already underway in his view.
His comments come as the EU advances new initiatives, including the ProtectEU proposal, which aims to provide law enforcement with more access to encrypted data by 2026. Though some lawmakers have criticized the plan as a threat to cybersecurity, Durov believes the real danger lies in slowly normalizing surveillance in the name of regulation.
Meanwhile, Durov himself is facing legal heat in France, where prosecutors accuse him of enabling illegal activity through Telegram. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence and significant fines—but that hasn’t stopped him from taking a hard stance: “Privacy,” he said, “is worth defending, no matter the cost.”
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
