Telegram’s CEO is under arrest. What does that say about free speech?

Telegram is ranked as one of the world's major social media platforms, after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat.

Just like Apple’s iMessage, Facebook messenger, Discord and WhatsApp, it lets you send end-to-end encrypted messages, meaning most of the time nobody – governments, law enforcement, private companies – can access those messages.

In the early hours of Sunday morning Australia time French police officers reportedly arrested boss and founder of the app Pavel Durov, over claims the platform enables criminal activity. In a post on the network, Telegram News says Durov has nothing to hide, and it’s “absurd” to hold an online platform or its owner responsible for abuse that might happen on it.

Is that right?

On this episode of The Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by James Hennessy, ideas and features editor for Capital Brief and cohost of LiSTNR's Down Round to reflect on what the arrest might mean for free speech online.

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