Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, facing criminal charges in France, is now under scrutiny by the European Union for potentially misleading officials about the platform’s user numbers to avoid regulation under the Digital Services Act. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission is investigating to determine the accurate user count in the EU, with discussions ongoing. Telegram claimed to have 41 million users in the EU, but failed to disclose the updated figure, causing concern among officials that more than 45 million residents are actually using it, which would classify it as a “very large online platform” subject to stricter rules and potential fines. Durov, accused of various illegal activities on the encrypted messaging service, was released from custody in France after posting bail, required to stay in the country until the investigation concludes.
