More than 1 billion people use the social network Telegram every month, a messaging application launched in 2013 that rose to prominence due to its end-to-end encryption system, and which has managed to survive (and grow) despite the relentless pressure from its main competitor, WhatsApp.
However, until quite recently, the creators of this platform were relatively unknown to the general public: Russian-born brothers Nikolai and Pavel Durov. The former is a programmer and mathematician born in 1980 in Saint Petersburg; the latter (and true driving force behind Telegram) is an entrepreneur and billionaire born in 1984, also in Saint Petersburg, who at one time was dubbed “the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia.”
Despite their significant achievements and considerable fortune, both brothers have sought to maintain a low profile (especially Nikolai) and conceal their residence for security reasons, as the Russian government has pressured them on numerous occasions to hand over data from the application for political purposes. The brothers have always refused, thereby earning the enmity of the Kremlin.
However, it seems that this was all in the past.
In recent years, Pavel Durov has made increasingly frequent and significant public appearances, bringing his name into greater public focus. The most recent example is his (highly controversial, in every sense of the word) response to the Spanish Government’s plans to significantly tighten access to social networks for minors.
Before examining that situation, let us briefly review his biography: who is Pavel Durov and how has he achieved such prominence?
Nikolai and Pavel Durov grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russia, during a period marked by great political and technological transformations. From an early age, both demonstrated a deep interest in computer sciences, significantly influenced by their family environment. Their father, Valery Durov, is a respected philologist and Doctor of Historical Sciences specializing in classical philology.
During their adolescent years, the future creators of Telegram stood out for their skill and creativity in the field of computer science. This period was crucial in shaping their future careers, as they developed the skills that would later enable them to innovate in the technological realm. In any event, Pavel took quite a few detours before ultimately landing in the world of technology, studying philology at Saint Petersburg State University and continuing studies in Turin, where he graduated with honors in 2006.
While preparing to become an interpreter and translator in Russia, he created an online library called Durov.com so that his classmates could share notes and books. The success of this invention was such that it quickly gained popularity and was expanded into a university forum. Does this story remind you in any way of Mark Zuckerberg’s?
Meanwhile, Nikolai studied programming and became a successful researcher. His story is less known than Pavel’s, but equally important, as he was the one who developed the MTProto protocol for Telegram Messenger in 2013, turning the platform into a mass messaging system that at the time was widely regarded as the most secure in the world.
The Durov brothers’ first major venture in the technological world was the creation of VKontakte (VK) in 2006. VK, inspired by platforms such as Facebook (again, another parallel to Zuckerberg’s story), quickly became the most popular social network in Russia, attracting millions of users (reaching 49 million users by 2009). The platform was notable for its intuitive interface and multifunctionality, setting a new standard for social networking in Russia. It was at this time that Pavel began to gain notoriety within the Russian business establishment.
However, VK’s success brought numerous negative—and dangerous—consequences for the brothers. In 2011, Russian authorities demanded access to VKontakte user data in order to monitor the activities of political dissidents. The brothers refused to comply with these demands and became targets of the government.
In 2014, in the midst of political tensions and mounting pressure from the Russian government to control the platform, the Durov brothers decided to sell their stake, leave the company, and exit the country in order to safeguard their personal security. At that time, they settled in Dubai, but later relocated to other countries and addresses that they kept secret for their own safety. Subsequently, Pavel ruled out returning to Russia, asserting that the situation in the country was incompatible with conducting business on the internet at that time.
This event marked a decisive turning point in the brothers’ careers and served as the catalyst for their emergence as the creators of Telegram.
By 2013, the Durov brothers had already launched Telegram, an instant messaging platform headquartered in Dubai, which, as mentioned earlier, set itself apart by focusing on user security. Telegram became known for its end-to-end encryption and emphasis on protecting user privacy. This focus proved especially attractive in a world increasingly concerned about data security and government surveillance—particularly in light of the level of control historically exercised by Russian authorities over national media (the platform has never maintained data centers in Russia).
Telegram has not only provided messaging functions, but also introduced innovative features such as channels and bots, expanding the possibilities for online communication. The platform rapidly gained popularity, becoming one of the most downloaded messaging applications worldwide (it was the fifth most downloaded app globally in 2022). Furthermore, many users migrated to Telegram during the successive and unexpected outages experienced by Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in 2021.
The Durov brothers’ decision to live in secrecy was not arbitrary, but rather a measure deemed necessary in order to protect their integrity and the independence of Telegram. The platform’s focus on privacy and security, combined with Pavel’s previous experiences with VK, placed him under the watchful eye of several governments and organizations. As a result, the brothers adopted a nomadic lifestyle, constantly relocating in order to avoid outside influence and pressure.
This nearly anonymous way of life has been fundamental in preserving Telegram’s integrity in the face of governmental pressure, allowing the brothers to remain steadfastly committed to their goals and principles and ensuring that Telegram would remain free from external influence and steadfastly dedicated to user privacy.
Nevertheless, Telegram’s founders have never ceased to face pressures from governments to hand over information. In fact, in 2018, the messaging app was banned in Russia after Durov refused to grant the government access to user data. This ban prompted massive protests in the country, demonstrating the platform’s popularity and significance to Russian citizens.
That covers the essentials of Telegram’s early history. Today, the company operates globally, and in 2024, Pavel Durov announced that it had finally achieved profitability.
However, as indicated earlier, recent years have seen a substantial erosion of Pavel’s anonymity. In some cases, this has been involuntary. In others, as we shall see, his public presence has been quite deliberate.
Among the most recent involuntary incidents is his detention in France in 2024. French authorities accused him of liability for enabling illicit content on the social network (including drug trafficking and fraud) due to a lack of moderation on Telegram and failure to cooperate with authorities. The arrest triggered an intense global debate. Telegram maintained that it was unreasonable to hold an owner personally responsible for the misuse of the platform, while Elon Musk promoted the hashtag #FreePavel and simultaneously criticized Mark Zuckerberg for surrendering to censorship in order to avoid similar detentions.
Take note of Musk’s support, as it will become relevant momentarily.
The storm that erupted in August 2024 at the Paris airport has led to a much more pragmatic Pavel Durov. Although the French legal proceedings remain open, and the charges of alleged complicity in offenses committed on the platform persist, the businessman’s personal situation has stabilized. Following an intense legal process throughout 2025, Durov is no longer under strict confinement in France; thanks to a five-million-euro bail payment and a gradual easing of precautionary measures, he has regained his freedom of movement, although he is still required to appear periodically before the Paris courts while the investigation continues.
Today, Telegram is a company that, within the framework of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and French courts, has formalized cooperation with the authorities. The most significant shift occurred at the end of 2024, when the company updated its terms of service: prior to September 2024, Telegram’s privacy policy stated that it would only provide data (IP addresses and phone numbers) if presented with a court order demonstrating that the user was suspected of terrorism. Following Durov’s detention, the policy was expanded to cover any criminal activity in violation of the terms of service.
In this context, Durov himself sought to clarify the situation with a post on Telegram, in which he stated, among other points:
“Since 2018, Telegram has been able to disclose IP addresses and telephone numbers of criminals to authorities in accordance with our Privacy Policy in most countries. Whenever we received a legally valid request through the appropriate communication channels, we reviewed it and disclosed the IP addresses and telephone numbers of dangerous criminals. This process was in place long before last week (…)
In Europe, we received a surge in the number of valid legal requests during the third quarter (2024). This increase was due to more EU authorities beginning to use the proper communication channel for their requests, as required by the EU DSA. Information about this point of contact has been publicly available to anyone visiting the Telegram website or searching “Telegram address in the EU for law enforcement” on Google since early 2024.
To reduce confusion, last week we streamlined and unified our privacy policy across different countries. However, our core principles have not changed. We have always strived to comply with relevant local laws, provided they do not conflict with our values of freedom and privacy.
Telegram was created to protect activists and citizens from corrupt governments and corporations; we do not allow criminals to abuse our platform or evade justice.”
Now, we are reaching the conclusion.
At present, Durov has once again made headlines in Spain due to his firm and public opposition to the proposed legislation that would prohibit individuals under 16 from accessing social networks, announced by Pedro Sánchez.
Through a mass message sent to all Spanish users and also shared on his X profile, the CEO leveraged the situation to attempt to restore his image as a defender of free speech, characterizing the Spanish Government’s measures—which include age verification systems and increased legal responsibilities for executives—as those of a “surveillance state” and a dangerous form of regulation.
At the beginning of this text, in fact, he writes: “The government of Pedro Sánchez is pushing new and dangerous regulations that threaten your online freedoms. Announced only yesterday, these measures could turn Spain into a surveillance state under the pretext of ‘protection’.” It is a controversial message, replete with serious—and at the very least, debatable—statements, which concludes with “On Telegram, we prioritize your privacy and freedom: robust encryption, no backdoors, and resistance to overreach.”
Of course, the Government’s response was swift, explaining that the measure is intended to protect minors, in the same sense as restrictions on alcohol consumption or driving are imposed for their safety. According to the executive, “digital platforms expose children and adolescents to serious and well-documented risks in an environment that is practically unregulated.”
Indeed, and here is where the earlier connection to Musk becomes relevant, Durov has been the second tech oligarch (to use the Spanish President’s terminology) to publicly and openly express his disagreement. Do you know who was the first?
Precisely: Elon Musk, who, using language cheered by his supporters and criticized by his adversaries—and, in any case, highly questionable, referred to Spain’s Prime Minister as “Dirty Sánchez”, among other inappropriate remarks for a public debate between people in positions of responsibility. Notably, only hours earlier—and continuing the parallel with Durov—the Paris headquarters of X was raided by French authorities, who also summoned him to testify in an ongoing case against the social network.
But let us set Musk aside and return to Durov. The present-day Pavel.
Currently, we are witnessing a Durov who occupies a dual role: a business leader who yields to European justice in order to ensure his corporation’s survival, and a digital activist who, through official channels, continues to challenge government policies in order to retain the loyalty of his most libertarian user base, all while operating from Dubai.
A figure who continues to be admired by millions of people around the world, just as he was at the outset of his career, but who increasingly also has a growing number of detractors.
Image: X and Gemini
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