Durov Warns of Digital Iceberg Threatening Free Internet and Civil Liberties

Telegram-Gründer Pavel Durov, addressing the Freedom Forum in Oslo, warns that the recent social media ban in the UK is part of a broader digital strategy aimed at undermining free internet access and civil liberties. He likens current Western societies to the Titanic, which has already hit an iceberg but whose passengers are unaware of the impending danger.

The UK’s move towards age verification through digital IDs and potential restrictions on anonymous communication online could set a precedent for similar measures across Europe. Durov criticizes the „Online Safety Act“ as a tool that might be used to force backdoors into encrypted messaging apps, potentially turning every smartphone into a state surveillance device.

His concerns are based on his experience dealing with direct state pressure from Russia, the EU, and France. He warns of the lack of preparedness for such digital restrictions, drawing parallels to the Titanic’s passengers who failed to act until it was too late.

Durov cites examples like the UK’s increasing use of social media posts as grounds for arrests and Germany’s harsh penalties for politically incorrect comments online, highlighting the growing threat to personal freedoms.