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FOTOILUSTRACIÓN: Noelia Martínez
Pavel Durov, the Libertarian of the Web

Pavel Durov, the Libertarian of the Web

The founder of Telegram succumbs to demands for control over the illegal practices used by the famous online platform

Gerardo Elorriaga

Sábado, 28 de diciembre 2024, 18:20

Pavel Durov, aged 39, exemplifies the power of virtuality to alter our daily lives, elevate us, or destroy us. Once a young and brilliant university student, he created a website for sharing readings, not foreseeing that this seemingly modest project would make him a magnate and lead him to a court in Paris. The life of the Russian Mark Zuckerberg is as excessive as that of any of these prodigious programmer talents.

The beginning of this tale of politics and espionage is innocuous. Durov was studying English philology at the University of St. Petersburg when he decided to create a platform for books related to his studies. The initiative gained such attention that it soon transformed into an academic forum. This simple proposal was the seed of VKontakte (VK), a social network launched in 2006 aimed at the university sphere. Success followed this entrepreneur, attracting clients from all walks of life. A year later, it had three million users, reaching 270 million by 2014.

However, notoriety comes with costs, especially in his country, where authority is unchecked and opposition is pursued. In 2013, security services requested VK to block groups opposing the ruling United Russia party and provide their records. His self-confidence, gained prominence, or libertarian spirit prompted him to challenge the Kremlin. He not only refused to comply, citing the illegality of the request, but also posted an image of a dog sticking out its tongue on his personal website.

The struggle was unequal. Coercion was the regime's first resort, with riot police even besieging his residence. These forceful methods gave way to more subtle and discreet tactics. Financial sectors close to Putin began buying shares of the firm until they gained a majority and the power to decide its future. In 2014, Durov was ousted as CEO of the company.

As a university student, he created a website for sharing readings that turned him into a magnate

Unexpected twists are the key to a good thriller. Paradoxically, the 'enfant terrible' benefited from the offensive. He sold his shares for $300 million and left Russia, carrying a hidden card of unexpected returns. His new project was called Telegram, a messaging service that enhanced the privacy of exchanges, making him one of the richest men in the world.

A fortune that continues to grow

Over the past decade, Durov's life has been a constant journey between his residence in the exclusive private community of Al Jumeirah in Dubai and North America, Europe, and Asia, thanks to his passports from France and the United Arab Emirates. His businesses have continued to increase his fortune, and Telegram has surpassed 950 million users, placing it among the five most downloaded apps.

Happy endings are rare in the noir genre, which always seeks to emulate reality, even when it is as extravagant as that of the Russian entrepreneur. At the end of August, after landing his private jet at Paris's Le Bourget airport, the wandering Russian was detained and charged with a dozen serious offenses, including complicity in money laundering, possession and distribution of child pornography, and involvement in criminal organizations linked to drug trafficking.

He has been charged with a dozen offenses, including complicity in money laundering

The accumulation and severity of the charges might lead us to suspect that we are dealing with a 'capo dei capi' of the Slavic mafia. But this story has much more to do with science fiction than organized crime, or perhaps with both. All these alleged misdeeds are related to Telegram's encryption systems and the high level of protection its users enjoy. Surprisingly, Moscow has lamented the detention of its former enemy, citing a political interest in the arrest. This is not so strange, as both the Russian and Ukrainian armies have benefited from the security conditions to safeguard their military communications.

The latest news suggests that Durov has succumbed to pressure and will provide authorities with information about clients if they share illegal content on the bustling online platform. This change represents a setback for his commitment to freedom and the controversial deregulation of virtual oceans, but it may also prevent a complex process that would curtail his life for years. Sometimes, as the saying goes, Paris is worth an ideological surrender.

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