Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Responds to India Ban: “150 Million Users Are Being Punished for Exam Leaks”
In the midst of the ongoing NEET controversy, the Indian government has taken a decisive step by temporarily blocking the messaging app Telegram until June 22. Additionally, the platform’s message editing feature has been suspended until June 30. This move has sparked a strong reaction from Telegram’s founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, who has publicly criticized the decision. Here’s a closer look at his response and the reasoning behind the government’s actions.
Durov’s Defense: A “Major Mistake”
Taking to social media platform X, Durov expressed his frustration, calling the government’s decision a “major mistake.” He laid out his arguments in several key points, emphasizing the unintended consequences of the ban.
- Punishing Innocent Users: Durov argued that the ban does not target those responsible for leaking exam papers. Instead, it penalizes 150 million ordinary Indian users who rely on Telegram for their daily communication and work.
- Proactive Content Removal: He highlighted that Telegram had already deleted hundreds of channels in India over the past few weeks that were sharing leaked exam material or content related to the scandal.
- Feature Improvements Underway: Durov assured that the company is working on making the “edited” label on messages more prominent. This change aims to prevent fraud where altered messages with old timestamps are used to mislead others.
Criticism of Other Platforms
In his post, Durov subtly targeted other messaging apps, arguing that blocking Telegram alone would not solve the problem. He pointed out that those responsible for the leaks have simply migrated to other platforms. His core question was direct: if leaked material can be shared on any platform, why is action being taken only against Telegram?
Why the Government and NTA Took Action
The Indian government and the National Testing Agency (NTA) did not act without cause. A specific feature of Telegram was at the center of the issue.
Misuse of the Message Edit Feature: An investigation by the NTA revealed that Telegram’s edit feature was being exploited to create false evidence.
How the Scheme Worked: Some channel administrators would edit old messages after the exam had concluded, inserting images of the question paper into them. Because the messages were old, the timestamp remained unchanged, making it appear as though the paper had been leaked long before the exam.
The Intended Goal: This tactic was used to spread the false narrative that the paper was leaked well in advance, undermining the integrity of the examination process.
The Rationale for the Ban
Investigating agencies believe that this temporary block on Telegram will help curb the conspiracy to create and viralize fake evidence after the exam. The move is intended to prevent the manipulation of timestamps and the spread of misleading information. However, this ban has once again raised serious questions about Telegram’s security protocols and the nature of activities taking place on its platform.
