Telegram CEO defends himself against French charges in first public comments

PARIS (AP) — Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is promising to step up efforts to fight criminality on the messaging app. In a Telegram post, the app’s founder made his first public comments since French authorities handed him preliminary charges for allegedly allowing the platform’s use for criminal activity. Durov defended himself against the French judicial investigation, suggesting that he shouldn’t have been targeted personally. He insisted that Telegram is not “some sort of anarchic paradise.” But he also said surging numbers of Telegram users “caused growing pains that made it easier for criminals to abuse our platform” and he pledged to “significantly improve things.”