France’s War on Privacy: Telegram Founder Warns of EU’s “Authoritarian” Plan

By Staff, Agencies

France is leading a European Union push to undermine digital privacy by scanning private messages, Telegram founder Pavel Durov warned on Tuesday. His remarks came after Germany’s opposition forced the bloc to delay a controversial proposal known as the “Chat Control” law.

The proposed legislation—intended to combat child sexual abuse material [CSAM]—would compel digital platforms to detect and report harmful content, including encrypted messages. EU officials have promoted it as a tool to protect children, but critics warn it could pave the way for mass surveillance and erode fundamental privacy rights across Europe.

Durov shared a message Telegram sent to its French users, accusing Paris of backing what he called “an authoritarian law.” The message named both current and former interior ministers, Laurent Nunez and Bruno Retailleau, as supporters of legislation that claims to “fight crime” but, in practice, targets ordinary people.

“Today, we defended privacy: Germany’s sudden stand saved our rights. But freedoms are still threatened. While French leaders push for total access to private messages, the basic rights of French people – and all Europeans – remain in danger,” Telegram’s message read.

Durov also pointed out the hypocrisy of the bill, noting that it exempts officials and police communications while doing little to stop actual criminals who could easily use VPNs or hidden platforms.

The “Chat Control” bill was shelved earlier this week amid growing opposition from several EU member states, including Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, and Poland. Critics argue that the law would create an unprecedented system for monitoring all forms of online communication, setting a dangerous precedent against privacy and civil liberties in Europe.