- Telegram founder Pavel Durov said the EU's digital regulations are undermining freedom of expression.
- Durov said the Digital Services Act (DSA) and additional bills could enable government-led censorship and institutionalize large-scale online surveillance.
- He said there are concerns that such a regulatory environment could lead to pressure on tech companies and a curtailment of free expression.
- The article was summarized using an artificial intelligence-based language model.
- Due to the nature of the technology, key content in the text may be excluded or different from the facts.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticized French President Emmanuel Macron, saying he is spreading systems of censorship and surveillance across the European Union (EU). He argued that the EU's digital regulation is damaging freedom of expression.
On the 23rd (local time), according to foreign media, Durov said on his social media, "President Macron is trying to silence online critics" and "the EU is becoming a digital concentration camp." He characterized the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) as effectively a censorship tool.
Durov claimed that the DSA was promoted under the influence of Thierry Breton, the former EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, who is known to be a close associate of President Macron. He pointed out that the law imposes excessive content-control responsibilities on platforms, which could, as a result, enable government-led censorship.
Durov also warned that additional bills being discussed in the EU could institutionalize large-scale online surveillance. He said such a regulatory environment could seriously threaten individuals' privacy and freedom of expression.
Durov cited the recent case in which the EU fined the social media platform X and publicly expressed support for Elon Musk. He argued that the EU is suppressing free expression and pressuring tech companies to strengthen political control.
Durov's remarks came amid ongoing debates over the EU's trend toward strengthening digital regulation. Within Europe, there are both positions that regulation is necessary to ensure online safety and counter misinformation, and concerns that excessive regulation could infringe on freedoms.
