Vitalik Buterin and other prominent figures have called for Pavel Durov to be released following his arrest
The founder of Tron has established a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to provide financial support for Durov’s legal defense, with a $1 million pledge.
The detention of Pavel Durov is characterized by the co-founder of Ethereum as a menace to privacy and freedom.
French authorities’ recent detention of Pavel Durov, the inventor of the popular messaging app Telegram, has caused significant alarm in the cryptocurrency industry. He is being accused of permitting unlawful activities on Telegram, which has sparked a significant discussion regarding government control and privacy.
Key figures in a variety of industries have responded strongly to the news. There is widespread criticism of the French government and President Emmanuel Macron.
Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has previously criticized Telegram for not treating encryption seriously. He is now speaking out against the detention of Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram. He is concerned about the implications of this for the freedom of software and digital privacy in Europe.
This is the reason for the necessity of formal verification of security properties and open source. According to Buterin, the actions taken against Durov for failing to moderate content and surrender user data are concerning for digital rights in Europe.
Buterin also discussed the necessity of open-source software and rigorous security measures. He believes that these are crucial for safeguarding user privacy and ensuring that governments do not exert excessive control over communication platforms.
Justin Sun, the founder of Tron, has suggested the establishment of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) to further support Durov’s legal defense, which has contributed to the surge in support. Sun has personally pledged $1 million to establish the “FreePavel DAO” in order to unite the crypto community.
In addition to the tech and crypto sectors, other influential figures are also endorsing Durov. Elon Musk, the founder of X, has expressed his concern regarding the escalating censorship in Europe and has tweeted #FreePavel, demonstrating his support.
Musk also inquired as to why comparable scrutiny has not been implemented for other technology executives, such as Mark Zuckerberg of Meta.
In a similar vein, Edward Snowden, a renowned IT expert and privacy advocate, sharply criticized the arrest. Snowden alleges that President Emmanuel Macron has taken excessive measures to access private communications, which he believes is a violation of fundamental human rights. He believes that this action damages France’s global reputation.
Telegram maintained in an official statement that their content moderation practices are consistent with industry standards and that they adhere to European Union regulations, including the Digital Services Act.
Telegram also contends that Pavel Durov has consistently been transparent and cooperative throughout his travels in Europe, denying any allegations of misconduct as “absurd.”
Also Read: US creditors and trustees oppose the restructuring proposal of FTX
