Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the widely used messaging application Telegram, recently confirmed that his platform refused a request from a “Western European government” to “silence” conservative channels in Romania. The announcement came on Sunday, May 18, 2025, as Romanians were engaged in the second round of their presidential elections. While Durov did not explicitly name the government, his public statement underscored Telegram’s commitment to freedom of speech, even in politically charged environments.
In a direct message on his Telegram channel, Durov unequivocally stated his refusal to comply with the request. He articulated his firm stance, emphasizing that “Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels. You can’t ‘defend democracy’ by destroying democracy. You can’t ‘fight election interference’ by interfering with elections.” He further asserted, “You either have freedom of speech and fair elections — or you don’t. And the Romanian people deserve both.” This statement highlights Telegram’s long-standing position as a platform that prioritizes user privacy and unrestricted communication, often leading to clashes with government authorities worldwide.
The context for this controversy is Romania’s ongoing presidential election. The first round, held on May 4, 2025, did not yield a clear majority for any candidate, necessitating a runoff. This second round, which commenced on the same day as Durov’s statement, saw voters returning to the polls to decide between the remaining contenders. The timing of the alleged request suggests a potential desire to influence the electoral outcome by limiting the reach of certain political viewpoints. French intelligence has since rejected Durov’s allegation of Romanian election meddling.
Telegram, launched in 2013 by Pavel and Nikolai Durov, has gained significant traction globally, particularly among users who prioritize privacy and secure communication. Its growth has been fueled by a reputation for strong encryption and a stated policy of not censoring content unless it violates its terms of service regarding illegal activities like terrorism or child abuse.
A cornerstone of Telegram’s technology is its proprietary encryption protocol, MTProto. Designed by Nikolai Durov, MTProto is intended to provide a robust and efficient framework for mobile messaging. It employs a combination of symmetric AES-256 encryption, RSA-2048 encryption, and the Diffie-Hellman secure key exchange for securing communications. While all standard chats on Telegram are encrypted in transit between the client and Telegram’s servers, the platform offers “Secret Chats” that provide end-to-end encryption. In Secret Chats, messages are encrypted on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient, ensuring that even Telegram itself cannot access the content. This distinction is crucial because it gives users the option for highly private conversations, although it is not the default setting for all communications.
Telegram’s commitment to user privacy extends beyond just encryption. The platform maintains a minimal data collection policy, aiming to store only the data necessary for its service to function. It also offers features like self-destructing messages, two-step verification, and granular privacy controls that allow users to manage who can view their phone number, last seen status, and profile picture. This combination of strong encryption and privacy-focused features has positioned Telegram as a go-to platform for individuals and groups seeking to communicate without perceived government surveillance or corporate interference.
The incident in Romania underscores the ongoing tension between digital platforms and national governments concerning content moderation and freedom of expression, especially during critical political events. Telegram’s unwavering stance, as articulated by Pavel Durov, reinforces its image as a champion of free speech, a position that continues to shape its identity in the global digital landscape.
