What happened? Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has celebrated the communication platform by killing a billion monthly active users by calling rival WhatsApp “cheap, less cheating”. Durov returned to Dubai recently after spending several months in France due to criminal investigation related to criminal activity on Telegram.
Durov revealed that Telegram had reached a billion monthly active users on his private channel. This marks the growth of 50 million users compared to the previous year. He also said that the company had recorded $ 547 million in profit in 2024.
The CEO also took a shot in the rival WhatsApp, with more than 2 billion monthly active users.
“Hum ahead of us has made a cheap, water copy of WhatsApp-Teligram. For years, they have tried hard to copy our innovations, while lobbying on billions of burning and PR campaigns to slow us.
In August 2024, Durov was arrested by Air Transport Genderry (GTA) on Tergate Airport Termac in France. After flying from Azerbaijan, he was caught shortly after stepping from his private jet.
French officials said Durov’s arrest was part of Telegram’s failure to liberate the alleged criminal activity on Telegram’s app. A few days after his arrest, Durov was accused of several crimes, including failed to curb CSAM and other extreme materials, and release on bail.
He was placed under a formal inquiry and banned from leaving the country-Bronhed billionaires became a French citizen in 2021 and also kept the United Arab Emirates Passport.
The French media reports indicated that a judge revised Durov’s bail terms several days ago and allowed him to leave France for several weeks. The office of the Paris prosecutor confirmed that his judicial sanctions were rested from 15 March to 7 April.
“The process is going on, but it looks great to be home,” he said. “I would like to thank the discovered judges for allowing this to happen, as well as my untiring efforts in showing my lawyers and teams, when it comes to fighting moderation, cooperation and crime, not only the telegram was found for the year, but has exceeded its legal obligations.”
Telegram has tried to pive a law on the platform following a law since Durov’s arrest. It is collaborating with US agencies to provide IP addresses, phone numbers and other important information for the user’s identification, meets hundreds of data requests affecting thousands of individuals.
Telegram now has a team of intermediaries dedicated to identify criminal activity on stage, and the company joined the Internet Watch Foundation as part of its crack against CSAM.
