Telegram Founder Accuses Google and Apple of Censorship Threat

Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram messaging app, has accused tech giants Google and Apple of threatening to censor content on smartphones [YouTube link]. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Durov claimed that these companies told Telegram to comply with their guidelines or face removal from their app stores.

"Those two platforms, they could basically censor everything you can read, access on your smart phone," Durov said. With 900 million active users, Telegram is expected to cross the one billion mark within a year.

Indeed they are

[Anonymous Coward]

But I've come around on the subject. Censorship is a good thing and they're doing it for good reasons. I know this because they told me so. It's not "Acceptable Use" and therefore is unacceptable.

Re:Nice try

[ebcdic]

Someone seems to have confused "censorship" with "what the American first amendment prohibits".

Re:

[ArchieBunker]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Don't private businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone?

Re:Nice try

[ArchieBunker]

Yes they cannot discriminate against protected classes. Being republican is not a protected class.

Re:

[WaffleMonster]

Don't private businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone?

Absolutely not. Private businesses are required to follow laws intended to balance competing interests. You necessarily lose some of your rights in exchange for the right to conduct public commerce. See also Marsh v. AL.

Re:

[smooth wombat]

Plus, even Twitter was used to censor opponents of Biden, it's in Twittergate.

No, they didn't. They did not censor "opponents" of President Biden in any way, shape, or form. The ONLY thing that was done was the government suggested, not demaded, Twitter/Facbook/et al take a look at all the harmful and outright falsehoods being pedaled which could potentially lead to people's deaths.

If you want to talk about real censorship, look at how many times "free speech" Musty has banned journalists accoun

Re:

[Baloo Uriza]

Also given the near constant times LGBT people and the left get banned from Twitter for existing before Elon took over, the opposite is far closer to accurate.

Re:Nice try

[ArchieBunker]

I'll explain twitter and the government for you.

Biden (a private citizen holding no government office) had his campaign team ask twitter to remove his sons dick pictures. Twitter says yes you're right they fall under our policy on revenge porn.

Republicans: This is literally 1984! Help we're being censored!

Re:

[MightyMartian]

Maybe Republicans really like dick picks

Re:

[MightyMartian]

Thanks Yuri. How's the weather in St. Petersburg?

Re:

[spacepimp]

You might want to try and learn who is forcing/asking these technology publishers to 'self censor'. If you're as unaware as your comment reads, you might want to start with Biden.

So no other sources?

[UnknowingFool]

The only source is a YouTube video from Tucker Carlson. Seriously? I find Tucker Carlson to be less than credible for many things.

Re:

[Baloo Uriza]

It's no secret that Durov is an Enlightened Centrist.

Re:

[ArchieBunker]

He's the guy with the show that Fox had to admit under oath was actually lies and people should know better than to believe what he says. Words straight from their mouth:

Just read U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil's opinion, leaning heavily on the arguments of Fox's lawyers: The "'general tenor' of the show should then inform a viewer that [Carlson] is not 'stating actual facts' about the topics he discusses and is instead engaging in 'exaggeration' and 'non-literal commentary.' "

She wrote: "Fox persuas

Re:

[GoTeam]

Nah, that's just what happens in court when you challenge the drug companies. Though U.S. District Judges are appointed, they're politicians all the same. At best, they're speed bumps to keep the U.S. Supreme Court judges docket clean. Tucker mostly looks foolish with his mouth agape catching flies, but doesn't deserve any more or less credit than any cable news talk show host. They all lie for their team. Just watch the most palatable/balanced host from each side and make your own decision. It's the only w

apple can use the safari lock in (webkit) to block

[Joe_Dragon]

apple can use the safari lock in (webkit) to block sites if they want.

good up till...

[Turkinolith]

"In an interview with Tucker Carlson"

Once I read to this point the article lost all credibility.

Its time for another smartphone

[FudRucker]

I would like to take this opportunity to invite FairPhone & PinePhone to enter the USAs smartphone market, it is obvious Apple and Google does not respect anyone's privacy and first amendment freedom of speech, so now is a good time for an alternative phone to enter the smartphone market not controlled by an immoral greedy totalitarianish corporation

Re: Its time for another smartphone

[Baloo Uriza]

Why should we be giving a platform to lying stochastic terrorists bent on destroying our country as we know it? So a few billionaire pricks can get richer while everyone else commits a Holocaust? Yeah, we played that game once, it's called The Removal, and Hitler admired America for that.

Re: Its time for another smartphone

[FudRucker]

So your solution is violate everyone's civil rights because of a few bad actors, congratulations you are now tyrannical

Birds of a Feather

[sudonim2]

If nine people sit down at a table with a Nazi, there are ten Nazis at the table.

If a person sits down to an interview with Tucker Carlson, there are two Nazis doing an interview for Twitter.