French prosecutors say Telegram messaging app CEO has been freed from custody, will appear in court

Update French prosecutors say Telegram messaging app CEO has been freed from custody, will appear in court
A French judge found there were grounds to formally investigate Telegram boss Pavel Durov on charges for which he was arrested four days ago. (Reuters)
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Updated 29 August 2024
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French prosecutors say Telegram messaging app CEO has been freed from custody, will appear in court

French prosecutors say Telegram messaging app CEO has been freed from custody, will appear in court
  • Pavel Durov was detained on Saturday as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations
  • Durov’s arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated

PARIS: French prosecutors on Wednesday freed Telegram CEO Pavel Durov from police custody after four days of questioning over allegations that the messaging app is being used for illegal activities.

Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a judicial inquiry opened last month involving 12 alleged criminal violations.

“An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

Allegations against the Russia-born Durov, who is a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, fraud and abetting organized crime transactions, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law.

Durov’s arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West’s double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020.

In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the country’s Shiite theocracy, Durov’s arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being “strict” against those who “violate your governance” of the Internet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov’s arrest wasn’t a political move but part of an independent investigation. Macron posted on X that his country “is deeply committed” to freedom of expression but “freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights.”

In a statement posted on its platform after Durov’s arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving.”

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform,” Telegram’s post said. “Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all.”

In addition to Russia and France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it was “closely following the case” and had asked France to provide Durov “with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that Durov “has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defense” and added that Moscow stands “ready to provide all necessary assistance and support” to the Telegram CEO as a Russian citizen.

“But the situation is complicated by the fact that he is also a citizen of France,” Peskov said.

Telegram, which says it has nearly a billion users worldwide, was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from Russian authorities.

In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site which he launched in 2006.

The company came under pressure during the Russian government’s crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012.

Durov had said authorities demanded that the site take down online communities of Russian opposition activists, and later that it hand over personal data of users who took part in the 2013-2014 popular uprising in Ukraine, which eventually ousted a pro-Kremlin president.

Durov said in a recent interview that he had turned down these demands and left the country.

The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy rhetoric offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share news.

Telegram also continues to be a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war, and deliver missile and air raid alerts.

Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation, which experts say opens up the messaging app for potential use in money laundering, drug trafficking and the sharing of material linked to the sexual exploitation of minors.

In 2022, Germany issued fines of $5 million against Telegram’s operators for failing to establish a lawful way to reporting illegal content or to name an entity in Germany to receive official communication. Both are required under German laws that regulate large online platforms.


Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD

Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD
Updated 1 min 22 sec ago
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Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD

Saudi stories pique audience interest, says Bloomberg Media MD
  • Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here”

RIYADH: Stories and articles about Saudi Arabia and the region are among the most widely read by audiences, according to Bloomberg Media’s managing director in the Middle East and Africa.

Visiting the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh, Amit Nayak told Arab News: “We’ve seen a real appetite from our global audiences for content from here.”

He said that with such a large and diverse team based in the Middle East, Bloomberg Media was able to bring local insights and perspectives to provide content based on what audiences wanted.

“We remain focused on deeply understanding our Middle Eastern audience, fostering direct relationships, and delivering trusted news and insights tailored to their needs,” he said.

“We work with leading entities across the region, such as Saudi Tourism Authority and Red Sea Global, using custom content across different platforms to help tell their stories to regional and global audiences.”

The use of smart technology has been big part of Bloomberg’s strategy for over a decade, with The Bulletin being a predominant feature on the app. Launched by Bloomberg’s Media Innovation Lab in 2018, it provides single-sentence summaries of the top three stories.

“We leverage first-party subscriber data through our AI-powered Audience Accelerator platform,” added Nayak. “This allows us to precisely target key demographics to inform machine learning models that predict the population of users on the site, enhancing campaign performance and building brand credibility.”

In 2022, Bloomberg Media Studios opened a regional studio in Dubai and earlier this year launched “Bloomberg Horizons: Middle East & Africa,” a flagship morning program.

Bloomberg News also launched the Mideast Money newsletter, which focuses on “the intersection of wealth and power, and the impact of regional sovereign investors and dealmakers in global finance.”

Evolving as a commercial team that, 10 years ago, predominantly sold advertising, Nayak said that as clients became more sophisticated and keener to reach global audiences, Bloomberg Middle East was fostering internal talent to better collaborate with them.

“We were well placed because we have invested heavily in our teams on the ground here — whether that’s expanding sales, building a client marketing team, or hosting events on the ground in the region,” he said.


Tunisia influencers sentenced to jail over content: media

Tunisia influencers sentenced to jail over content: media
Updated 06 November 2024
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Tunisia influencers sentenced to jail over content: media

Tunisia influencers sentenced to jail over content: media
  • Some Internet users condemned the spread of crude language and obscene images on social media, while others saw the move as a new restriction on freedoms

TUNIS: Four influencers on Instagram and TikTok have been sentenced to jail in Tunisia for content authorities deemed immoral, local media reported Wednesday.
The Business News outlet said an Instagrammer known as Lady Samara, with about one million followers, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison on Tuesday.
TikToker Khoubaib received four years and six months, while Instagrammer Afifa was sentenced to a year and six months and her husband Ramzi to three years and six months.
On October 31, as part of the same investigation, an Instagrammer known as Choumoukh was sentenced to four and a half years’ jail on similar charges.
The private radio station Mosaique FM also reported a series of sentences ranging from 18 months to four and a half years, without identifying those being sent to prison.
It said they were being prosecuted for “public indecency, dissemination of content contrary to good morals or adopting immoral positions, using inappropriate language or adopting inappropriate behavior that undermines moral and social values and risks negatively influencing the behavior of young users of these platforms.”
The investigation was opened after the justice ministry on October 27 urged prosecutors to “take necessary judicial measures and launch investigations against anyone producing, displaying or publishing data, images, and video clips with content that undermines moral values.”
The decision sparked widespread debate, both on social media and in the media.
Some Internet users condemned the spread of crude language and obscene images on social media, while others saw the move as a new restriction on freedoms.
Online magazine Nawaat, which frequently criticizes the Tunisian government, said the arrests come amid “a climate marked by repressive restrictions on freedoms.”
“Following the systematic dismantling of judicial power, the prosecution of opponents and journalists, and the repression of civil society, social media influencers — regardless of the quality of their content — are now in the regime’s crosshairs,” said an article.
Tunisia’s opposition and civil society have condemned what they call an “authoritarian drift” by President Kais Saied, who was re-elected on October 6 with a sweeping majority but low turnout.


Trump Media reports $19 mln loss in third quarter on TV streaming costs

Trump Media reports $19 mln loss in third quarter on TV streaming costs
Updated 06 November 2024
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Trump Media reports $19 mln loss in third quarter on TV streaming costs

Trump Media reports $19 mln loss in third quarter on TV streaming costs
  • Trump Media & Technology Group said the figure includes $12.1 million in legal fees
  • It also reported $3.9 million in research and development spend

Former US President Donald Trump’s media company reported a net loss of $19.2 million in the third quarter, due to legal fees and costs tied to its TV streaming deal.
Trump Media & Technology Group said the figure includes $12.1 million in legal fees in the quarter, stemming from its acquisition of TV streaming technology in August and residual fees related to its SPAC deal in March.
It also reported $3.9 million in research and development spend.
Shares of the company reversed earlier losses in extended trading and were last trading about 2 percent higher.
The report comes as the US presidential election is in the final stretch, with polls showing Trump and current vice president Kamala Harris running neck and neck, as the world awaits the results of one of the most unusual elections in modern US history.
Shares of Trump Media, which operates the Truth Social media platform, have seen wild swings in recent days with the stock serving as something of a proxy for Trump’s chances of election.
Trump Media said its revenue was $1 million for the quarter ended September and had cash and cash equivalents of $672.9 million, including short-term investments, with no debt. 


BBC staff in open letter accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias

BBC staff in open letter accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias
Updated 03 November 2024
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BBC staff in open letter accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias

BBC staff in open letter accuse broadcaster of pro-Israel bias
  • Over 100 employees demand corporation ‘recommit to fairness, accuracy and impartiality’
  • Letter signed by more than 230 figures in UK’s media industry, other sectors

LONDON: More than 100 BBC employees have accused the British broadcaster of pro-Israel bias in its coverage of the Gaza war.

The claim was made in an open letter signed by more than 230 figures in the UK’s media industry and other sectors, who said the public broadcaster has failed to provide “fair and accurate” coverage of the conflict. It was sent to Tim Davie, director general of the BBC.

The letter, first seen by The Independent, said the BBC must “recommit to fairness, accuracy and impartiality.”

The BBC employees who signed the letter did so anonymously, with one telling The Independent that “so many of us feel paralysed by levels of fear.”

They added: “Colleagues have left the BBC in recent months because they just don’t believe our reporting on Israel and Palestine is honest.”

Prominent members of Britain’s political, media and academic class signed the letter, including Sayeeda Warsi, a Muslim member of the House of Lords; historian William Dalrymple; actress Juliet Stevenson; Dr. Catherine Happer, a senior lecturer in sociology and director of media at the University of Glasgow; Rizwana Hamid, director at the Centre for Media Monitoring; broadcaster John Nicolson; and columnist Owen Jones.

The BBC must “robustly challenge Israeli government and military representatives in all interviews,” the signatories said.

In September, BBC Chairman Samir Shah said the board would “seriously consider” a review into the broadcaster’s Middle East coverage.

It followed claims by Jewish groups that the BBC is suffering from an “extreme” anti-Israel bias and that it is failing to properly manage complaints.

The open letter calls on the BBC to make new editorial commitments, including “reiterating that Israel does not give external journalists access to Gaza; making it clear when there is insufficient evidence to back up Israeli claims; making clear where Israel is the perpetrator in article headlines; and including regular historical context predating October 2023.”

One example of a “dehumanizing and misleading headline” cited by signatories related to Israel’s killing of 6-year-old Hind Rajab in January this year. The BBC headline read: “Hind Rajab, 6, found dead in Gaza days after phone calls for help.”

The letter to the BBC said: “This was not an act of God. The perpetrator, Israel, should have been in the headline, and it should have been clear that she was killed.”

Another anonymous BBC employee told The Independent: “Palestinians are always treated as an unreliable source and we constantly give Israel’s version of events primacy despite the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) well-documented track record of lying.

“We often seem to prefer to leave Israel out of the headline if at all possible or cast doubt on who could be to blame for airstrikes.

“The verification level expected for anything related to Gaza hugely outweighs what is the norm for other countries.”

In response to the letter, a BBC spokesperson said the broadcaster holds itself “to very high standards,” adding: “This conflict is one of the most polarising stories to report on, and we know people feel very strongly about how this is being reported.

“The BBC receives almost equal measure of complaints asserting that we are biased towards Israel, as we do asserting we are biased against it.

“This does not mean we assume we are doing something right, and we continue to listen to all criticism — from inside and outside the BBC — and reflect on what we can do better.”


Mauritius reverses ban on social media

Mauritius reverses ban on social media
Updated 02 November 2024
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Mauritius reverses ban on social media

Mauritius reverses ban on social media

PORT LUIS, Mauritius: Mauritius on Saturday reversed its decision to block social media until its election that had been prompted by a wire-tapping scandal.
The ban on social media had been in place for 24 hours, with users on the Indian Ocean island unable to access Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
It was due to last until November 11 — the day after the general election.
The ban was prompted by the release of secret recordings of phone calls by politicians, journalists, members of civil society and even foreign diplomats that began to emerge online last month.
The office of Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth had said that “the national security and integrity of our republic and our international partners may have been compromised” by the leaks.
But in a statement on Saturday, the Information and Communications Authority said the ban had been lifted after “consultation with competent authorities.”
There had been uproar from opposition parties and local media groups, who rely heavily on social media.
The leaked recordings were released by an account called Missie Moustass (Mr Moustache), primarily on TikTok.
There have been attempts to block the account but it quickly resurfaced elsewhere and has been releasing recordings almost daily.
Among those causing the greatest shock was that of the police commissioner apparently asking a forensic doctor to alter a report into a person who died after being beaten in police custody. A judicial investigation into the death was launched following the leak.
Private calls featuring British High Commissioner Charlotte Pierre also appear to have been leaked.
Jugnauth is seeking re-election as head of the Militant Socialist Movement.
He inherited the premiership on the death of his father in 2017 and secured a victory for his coalition in polls two years later.