When France shouted "Vive la liberté!", it probably didn't anticipate that one day that cry would be echoed in a flood of angry Google Play reviews. It all began on August 24, 2024, when Telegram CEO and founder Pavel Durov was arrested at Le Bourget Airport in France after arriving from Azerbaijan. His detention is part of a broader investigation into alleged criminal activities linked to the messaging platform, including accusations of failing to regulate extremist content, fraud, drug trafficking, money laundering, and cyberbullying.
The investigation into Durov kicked off on July 8, 2024, and back then it sparked a heated debate about the responsibilities of tech platforms in moderating content. Critics argue that Durov’s laissez-faire approach has turned Telegram into a haven for illegal activities, drawing scrutiny from European authorities. However, supporters of Durov see his arrest as a potential infringement on freedom of speech. Heavyweights like Elon Musk and Edward Snowden have publicly backed Durov, warning that his detention could set a dangerous precedent for tech executives and free expression in Europe. And they're not alone.
"Let Durov go! He has 100 children!"
Back in Russia, Durov's supporters decided to take matters into their own hands—by bombing the ratings of a French learning app on Google Play. BNR Languages' rating has plummeted to 1.1 stars on Google Play as reviews filled with jokes, trolling, and one-out-of-five stars.
"Pavel, we are with you! This rotten France cannot get you! Telegram will live forever!" or "For Durov! Let him go! He has 100 children!" or "Macron wanted Durov?! Here you go then!" mixing with threats to slaughter...croissants.
The developers, a Canadian company called BNR Languages with a portfolio of around 30 apps for language learning on Google Play and App Store and allegedly 30 million installs, eventually dropped a mic-worthy response: "We're a Canadian company and have nothing to do with these events whatsoever."
"Our language-learning app has a solid user base in Russia, particularly among those interested in learning French. However, we believe the wave of negative reviews we received was driven by the recent political situation, rather than any specific features of our app," the BNR Languages team shares in an email interview with Kill the DJ. "It seems that users’ frustration with events beyond our control was directed at our app by chance, perhaps because it’s one of the few still accessible in the region. (Since the start of the war, monetisation through ads in Russia and Ukraine have been disabled. As a result, many apps have already been withdrawn from these countries.)"
"Our primary mission has always been to provide quality educational tools to our users, no matter where they are. We recognise that tech companies operating globally are increasingly vulnerable to these kinds of risks. We’re mindful of these issues and remain committed to serving our users as best we can," BNR Languages representative says to Kill the DJ.
As of now, the BNR Languages French app can't be found in the Russian Google Play. We assumed that the company might have temporarily removed or hidden it from the Russian market to wait out this bizarre backlash, and that was the case, indeed:
"While we always value user feedback, this wave of criticism has unfairly affected our overall rating. Given the intensity of the negative reviews and the challenge of managing this situation fairly for all our users, we decided to temporarily remove the app from Google Play in Russia. This wasn’t an easy decision, and we hope to reverse it once the situation stabilizes."
Speaking of the 100 children, by the way. It's not a figure of speech. Earlier this year, Durov said he has indeed fathered more than 100 children. In July, Durov shared on Telegram that he now has more than 100 kids after donating sperm at a clinic 15 years ago to help a friend have a baby. In the same post, Durov added that he wants to "open-source" his DNA so that his children can find each other.
#FREEDUROV in X's Trending
Meanwhile, on X (formerly Twitter), a hashtag campaign demanding Durov’s release has gone viral. The hashtags #FREEDUROV and #SaveDurov are trending globally, with thousands of tweets not just from Russia, but from users around the world.
"Mark Zuckerberg sold your information and he’s a free man. Pavel Durov didn’t, so he’s in jail. Elon Musk haven’t, that’s why they are coming for him. It’s this simple. #FREEDUROV," a user shared on X.
Mark Zuckerberg sold your information and he’s a free man.
— Loretta Crypto (@LorettaKrypto) August 27, 2024
Pavel Durov didn’t, so he’s in jail.
Elon Musk haven’t, that’s why they are coming for him.
It’s this simple.#FREEDUROV pic.twitter.com/nX1GizKp1q
Durov's detention aftermath
According to TechCrunch, the detention has led to a surge in Telegram downloads, pushing it to No. 2 on the U.S. App Store’s Social Networking charts and boosting its global iOS downloads by 4% so far. In France, where Durov was detained, the app skyrocketed to No. 1 in the Social Networking category and became the No. 3 top app overall. Not bad for an app that Durov once told Tucker Carlson he doesn’t spend a dime promoting.
Many in the tech community fear that Durov's arrest sets a dangerous precedent for how governments might regulate tech platforms. Critics argue that holding platforms accountable for user-generated content could lead to over-censorship and a chilling effect on free expression. Andy Yen, founder of Proton Mail, called the charges against Durov "insane," while Chris Pavlovski, CEO of Rumble, announced his departure from Europe in response to the arrest. Durov's detention has also reignited discussions about the responsibilities of tech platforms in moderating content and the balance between user privacy and regulatory compliance. The European Union has been working to enforce stricter regulations on platforms like Telegram, which has been criticised for its lenient content moderation policies. Durov's case may influence future regulatory approaches and the treatment of tech executives by governments.
Interestingly, Durov's arrest has drawn reactions from both supporters and opponents of the Kremlin. Concerns have been raised that Telegram could be used as a tool for surveillance by the Kremlin, which has surely added another layer of complexity to the international response to Durov's situation.
Pavel Durov, the enigmatic founder and CEO of the messaging platform Telegram, has been a French citizen since 2021. Now, it seems, his legal troubles might rival even the most dramatic plotlines in French history.
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