Overview

• Marking his 41st birthday on Oct. 10, Pavel Durov posted on X that he would not celebrate and warned that the free internet is disappearing.
• He cited EU proposals to scan private messages, UK digital ID plans, and Australian online age checks as threats to privacy.
• He alleged Germany persecutes online critics, the UK imprisons people over tweets, and France investigates tech leaders who defend privacy, framing these as signs of shrinking freedoms.
• His remarks come months after French authorities detained him over allegations that Telegram was used for crimes, and reporting says Telegram later updated terms to clarify cooperation with lawful requests.
• Reaction online ranged from support to criticism, including questions about his silence on Russia, and coverage links his privacy stance to decentralization efforts such as the TON blockchain.