Telegram’s Durov Warns of Rising Threat to Privacy as Europe Eyes Encryption Backdoors

A recent push by French lawmakers to weaken encryption in messaging apps has drawn sharp criticism from Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, who warns that such efforts are a direct assault on personal privacy in the digital age.

Durov revealed that a proposal nearly made its way through France’s legislative system that would have required apps to implement access points for law enforcement — essentially giving authorities the ability to read private communications. While the bill was ultimately blocked, he voiced concern over the implications had it succeeded, noting that it would have placed France ahead of even the most authoritarian regimes in dismantling encryption rights.

Rather than enhancing safety, Durov argues, this type of legislation puts everyone at greater risk. Once a backdoor exists, he says, it’s not just governments that can use it — malicious actors, cybercriminals, and even foreign intelligence services could potentially exploit those vulnerabilities.

He dismissed the idea that such measures would deter criminal behavior, pointing out that anyone intent on hiding their tracks would simply switch to more obscure, encrypted platforms or conceal their digital footprint through VPNs and other tools, making them even more difficult to trace.

READ MORE:

Best Crypto to Buy Now as Stablecoins Become the New Lifeline for Farmers

Telegram, Durov emphasized, will never compromise its security architecture. The platform is committed to end-to-end encryption and has never released users’ private messages, even under pressure. In rare cases, it provides basic information like IP addresses or phone numbers — but only after receiving a legitimate court order and in line with European regulations.

The platform, which has operated for over a decade, sees encryption not as a loophole for illicit activity but as a core protection for civil liberties. Durov stressed that if forced to choose, Telegram would rather leave a market entirely than bow to demands that threaten those values.

With similar proposals now surfacing within the European Commission, Durov urged the public and policymakers to remain vigilant. Freedom, he noted, is rarely taken in one sweep — it erodes gradually, law by law, unless it is actively defended.

Alexander Stefanov