Durov warns: Telegram may leave France to protect personal messages

Telegram's founder accused French officials of selling crypto investors' data to criminals. Pavel Durov cited local police data: 41 cases of cryptocurrency owner data theft were recorded in the country in the first three and a half months of this year.

Telegram's founder warned that the government's plans to gain access to social media users' digital IDs and personal messages could lead to new leaks and an increased number of victims. "That's why Telegram would rather leave the French market than give corrupt bureaucrats access to personal messages," Durov stated.