‘Internet prophet’: arrest of Telegram CEO could strengthen heroic image

Pavel Durov will probably use French legal disputes to position himself as a champion of free speech, say observers

When Pavel Durov came under criticism from Russian regulators over the spread of pornography on the VKontakte social media platform he founded, the tech entrepreneur responded mockingly by changing his Twitter handle from “VK CEO” to “Porn King”.

More than a decade later, Durov’s anti-authoritarian stance and hands-off approach to moderation have landed him in more serious trouble.