Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s Arrest in France: A Potential Threat to ‘Safe Harbour’ Protections

The arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov by French police on August 24, as he arrived in Paris, could challenge the longstanding ‘safe harbour’ protections that shield tech platforms from liability for user-generated content. This arrest has sparked a diplomatic row with Russia and raises questions about the future of legal protections for technology company executives. The situation may signal a shift in how liability is assigned to platform leaders, potentially ending an era of minimal responsibility for online content.