Telegram Threatens to Exit France – Find Out Why!

A Firm Response to Laurent Nuñez

Allowing law enforcement to access private conversations without user notification is out of the question. Telegram would rather leave a market than undermine encryption with backdoors and infringe on fundamental human rights, wrote Pavel Durov in a message to his community.

This statement came after a recent comment by the Paris Police Prefect, Laurent Nuñez, last week. He claimed that Telegram had become a preferred communication tool for drug traffickers and advocated for stronger collaboration with intelligence services. Specifically, authorities were demanding the creation of a hidden access to read certain messages exchanged on the platform for judicial investigations.

Since the indictment of its CEO, Telegram has already been cooperating partially with the authorities, by providing IP addresses and phone numbers in certain cases. However, the company adamantly refuses to give access to the content of messages, which are encrypted end-to-end.

Setting a Dangerous Precedent

For Telegram’s CEO, creating a backdoor, even for judicial purposes, would compromise the entire security ecosystem of the platform. He warns that such an access point would not only be available to French authorities but could also become an entry point for hackers, foreign states, or cybercriminals.

Once implemented, a backdoor can be exploited by other entities like foreign agents or hackers. As a result, the private messages of all law-abiding citizens could be at risk, he emphasizes. And Apple would certainly agree!

He adds that in practice, the most organized criminals would simply switch to lesser-known platforms or encrypt their networks via VPNs, making tracking them even more challenging.

A Debate Stirring Throughout Europe

The controversy extends well beyond French borders. In March 2025, a controversial amendment within anti-drug trafficking legislation proposed imposing these backdoors on messaging services like Signal, WhatsApp, or Telegram. Although it was eventually rejected by the National Assembly, it had already been approved by the Senate. Last month, France almost banned encryption, Pavel Durov laments. Fortunately, this measure was rejected just in time.

In Brussels, the European Commission is also preparing an action plan on encryption, announced on April 1. They aim to find a technological solution to balance public security and privacy. A roadmap is expected by 2026.