•‘It’s 2030…you’re being executed for liking a meme’ – Musk
Chairman of social media platform X and billionaire Elon Musk on Saturday expressed shock at the alleged arrest of Telegram CEO and founder Pavel Durov.
What Happened: “POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme,” Musk wrote on X in response to reports of Durov’s arrest, hinting that the arrest is a result of extreme regulation and censorship in the region.
POV: It’s 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme https://t.co/OkZ6YS3u2P
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024
“20 years …,” Musk wrote in seeming dismay to another X user who said that Durov faces 20 years in prison.
20 years … https://t.co/UknQRzqXw2
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2024
“Yeah, this is super messed up!,” Musk said in a separate post.
Yeah, this is super messed up!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 25, 2024
Durov’s Arrest: Durov was arrested at Le Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening, Bloomberg reported, citing Agence France-Presse news agency. Law enforcement is reportedly concerned that the lack of moderators on the app is allowing criminal activity on the platform such as fraud and organized crime, among others.
The CEO is expected to appear in court on Sunday, Bloomberg added.
Telegram was founded in 2013 by Durov with his brother Nikolai and is one of the most popular messaging apps now. The CEO lives in Dubai but also holds citizenship in France.