Alert: Arrest of Telegram's Founder

Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France

A Dire Warning for Privacy Rights

Pavel Durov in Barcelona, Spain, in 2016. Pic: Reuters

In a draconian move that has sent shockwaves through the privacy community, France just arrested the founder of Telegram (Pavel Durov), a messaging platform renowned for its robust encryption and commitment to user privacy. The reason? He refused to implement a backdoor that would allow the French government to access users' private communications. This incident is more than just a legal standoff; it is a stark reminder of the growing tension between state surveillance and individual privacy, a tension that threatens the very foundation of our digital freedoms.

The war against end-to-end encryption of private communications has been declared. Your ability to have private communication is one step closer to being gone forever.

For a legacy media take check out, Sky News article. Telegram founder Pavel Durov arrested in France | Science & Tech News | Sky News

Download Telegram at: Telegram Messenger

Privacy: A Core Human Right

The United Nations, many years ago, recognized privacy as a fundamental human right. This right, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948, asserts that "no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence." It is a principle that used to guide democratic societies for decades, ensuring that individuals can communicate, express themselves, and live without undue intrusion from the state.

Is that now a joke?

However, in the digital age, this right is under siege. Governments around the world are increasingly viewing private communications as potential threats, rather than protected spaces. The drive for security, while important, is being used as a justification to eliminate privacy rights.

No privacy, no cash, no freedom!

The Real Threat to Democracy

The legacy news is full of “a threat to democracy” headlines. Most of the time this simply means they are scared the other side will win and they will not be in control. The real threat to democracy is the inability to have a private conversation about a wide range of subjects, especially when we disagree with the government. TikTok is being forced to sell to a US entity not because it’s a threat to democracy but because the US government does not have a back door. (I am not TikTok fan, but let’s call a spade a spade.)

The Digital Dilemma: Security vs. Privacy

The arrest of Telegram's founder exemplifies the dangerous path we're on. Telegram is one of the few platforms that has resisted government pressures to weaken its encryption, a stance that has earned it both praise and condemnation. Encryption, by design, ensures that messages are readable only by the intended recipients. It is the digital equivalent of sealing a letter in an envelope, rather than sending it as an open postcard.

But the French government, like many others, argues that such encryption hampers their ability to fight crime and terrorism. They demand backdoors, special access points that would allow them to bypass encryption and monitor communications. The problem? Backdoors not only compromise the privacy of all users but also open up vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors and unscrupulous government agents of every stripe.

It is possible to build a safe society without sacrificing the very freedoms that make it worth protecting. The right to privacy is not just a relic of the past; it is a vital necessity for the future. - WM

When a government demands a backdoor, it is essentially asking for a master key that unlocks every conversation on the platform. It is a profound violation of privacy, and it is none of their business. Moreover, history has shown that once such backdoors exist, they are rarely used exclusively for their intended purpose. They can be abused by governments, hackers, and corporations alike, turning a tool of security into a weapon of surveillance.

Request for Moderation is BS!

One of the reasons for the arrest was because Pavel would not build moderation tools. Moderation tools is just the new word for “backdoor”. As to moderate, you need to be able to read the messages, to read the messages you no longer have true end to end encryption, and it has back doors. Don’t let “them” try to soften their ask by hiding the request for back doors in their new “moderation” requests. I call BS! Do you call BS?

Beware: The State Wants Full Control

This is not just about one messaging app or one country. It is about the future of privacy in the digital age. The arrest of Telegram's founder sends a clear message: if you refuse to give the state full control, you will be punished. It is a dangerous precedent that threatens to undermine the very fabric of our digital rights.

We must ask ourselves: Do we want to live in a world where every conversation is potentially monitored by the state? Where our private thoughts and interactions are subject to government scrutiny? The answer should be a resounding no.

Watch Tucker Carlson’s interview with Pavel. This is Pavel’s first interview in 10 years.

Watch on Tucker Carlson Network

The Path Forward: Defending Our Digital Rights

As citizens, we must remain vigilant. The erosion of privacy is not a problem that will solve itself. It requires active resistance, informed advocacy, and a commitment to protecting the rights that define us as free individuals. Encryption is not the enemy—overreach and unwarranted surveillance are.

We must hold our governments accountable and remind them that security and privacy are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to build a safe society without sacrificing the very freedoms that make it worth protecting. The right to privacy is not just a relic of the past; it is a vital necessity for the future.

Let the arrest of Telegram's founder serve as a wake-up call. The battle for privacy is far from over, and it is a fight we cannot afford to lose.

You can start by, on a local level, ask every politician you meet what their stand on end to end encryption (e2e). Be prepared to educate them. No matter if they are on the left, center or right, do not allow them to be uneducated and make your opinion known. If they believe in freedom and democracy then they have to endorse e2e, if they don’t they are dictators and thugs, and tell that to their faces!

Final Thought

As I was writing this Substack I was listening to a Oliver Anthony Music YouTube video (using Brave in Private Mode on a VPN) and he recorded an update on his exploding success which started one year ago when Rich Men North of Richmond (Oliver Anthony - Rich Men North Of Richmond (youtube.com)) was upload on August 8^th, 2023.

If you are concerned about where the world is going and feel alone because your friends are hypnotized my legacy media and addicted to social media, watch his update.  He covers things from money, debit, phones, social media, AI and getting back to the land. Powerful. Take the time and listen to the whole thing.

P.S. I have not written enough sub stacks as intended but have been working on a project that is almost done that will allow me to devote more time to continue this conversation with you on the topic of privacy, I should be back with a good tempo by the end of Fall.

Thank you.

~Will