Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov warned that global censorship efforts could spell the end of the free internet as we know it unless countries actively squelch government creep.
In an X post Durov stressed the urgency of fighting for online free speech, which he described as slipping away. “Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers,” he wrote. “What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control.”
Durov continued, “Once-free countries are introducing dystopian measures.” He singled out countries such as Australia, the EU and the UK that are working to implement age restrictions, private message monitoring and digital IDs He also called out Germany, the UK and France for resorting to persecuting, imprisoning and criminally investigating citizens and tech leaders who dare to speak out against censorship.
