Telegram founder Pavel Durov marked his 41st birthday with a stark warning that the “free Internet” is collapsing under the weight of new government controls. Instead of celebrating, the entrepreneur behind one of the world’s largest messaging apps used a post on his Telegram channel and a follow‑up message on platform X to accuse Western democracies of turning the web into a tool of surveillance.
I’m turning 41, but I don’t feel like celebrating.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) October 9, 2025
Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers.
What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control.
Once-free countries…
A warning against growing digital authoritarianism
“I’m turning 41, but I don’t feel like celebrating,” Durov wrote. “Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers.”
He cited new laws and proposals in the European Union, United Kingdom and Australia as part of an accelerating trend toward what he described as “digital authoritarianism.”
Among his examples were the EU’s controversial Chat Control proposal, the UK’s digital ID initiative, and mandatory online age verification for social media and adult websites in Australia.
“Once‑free countries are introducing dystopian measures… A dark, dystopian world is approaching fast — while we’re asleep,” Durov warned.
EU’s Chat Control faces backlash
The Chat Control regulation, officially the CSAM (Regulation on Combating Child Sexual Abuse Material), is currently under discussion among EU institutions. The draft would require platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Signal to allow authorities pre‑encryption message scanning.
Critics, including digital rights groups and several European lawmakers, argue the proposal breaches Article 7 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, threatening privacy and end‑to‑end encryption.
According to a European Parliament questionnaire (E‑003250/2025) seen under Denmark’s presidency, mandatory scanning could create security vulnerabilities exploitable by hackers and hostile states.
Germany’s recent decision to oppose the regulation may block its passage. Signal president Meredith Whittaker welcomed the move, telling reporters that forced content‑scanning “creates backdoors and cybersecurity loopholes that bad actors are waiting to exploit.”
UK, Australia introduce stricter ID and age‑check systems
The UK’s Online Safety Act, which came into force in late 2025, now obliges websites hosting explicit content to verify users’ ages using “robust” digital checks approved by Ofcom, the British media regulator.
As reported by the BBC, sites like Pornhub, Reddit, X, and Telegram have pledged to integrate facial‑ or ID‑based verification to comply with the law. Non‑compliant services face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.
Critics worry the new process could expose sensitive user data. Cybersecurity analysts told the BBC that while verification tools are improving, “determined users will still seek anonymous methods to bypass controls.”
Meanwhile, Australia plans to ban access to social media for users under 16 starting December 10. Legislators there are developing an online age‑verification framework, prompting similar privacy concerns about biometric data collection and storage.
The EU’s digital identity wallet could expand surveillance — or trust
At the same time, EU policymakers are moving ahead with the European Digital Identity (EUDI) Regulation, aimed at providing citizens with secure digital wallets to access both public and private services.
Under the plan, each EU member state must offer citizens an interoperable digital identity linked to verified attributes such as driver’s licenses or bank details.
Supporters of the regulation say it will enhance security and user control, letting people choose which personal data to share. But critics, echoing Durov’s concerns, fear a centralized architecture that could be misused for monitoring online activity if not properly safeguarded.
Durov’s call to defend online freedom
In his posts, Durov accused European governments of “betraying their forefathers’ legacy” by undermining privacy and freedom of expression. He alleged that “Germany is persecuting anyone who dares to criticize officials,” while “the UK is imprisoning thousands for their tweets” — claims that cannot be independently verified but reflect his long‑standing criticism of government surveillance and censorship.
“We’ve been made to believe that the greatest fight of our generation is to destroy everything our forefathers left us — tradition, privacy, sovereignty, the free market, and free speech,” he wrote. “By betraying our ancestors’ legacy, we’ve set ourselves on a path toward self‑destruction.”
Kursiv Media separately reported that Durov removed a personal video from his Telegram channel showing him swimming at Kazakhstan’s Kolsai Lakes shortly after publishing his message.
A crossroads for the open Internet
While many governments argue that digital identity programs and online safety laws are essential to protect minors and national security, advocates of encryption and open technologies warn that mass data collection could erode democratic freedoms.
Digital policy experts say the current wave of regulation may define whether the Internet remains a space of open communication, or evolves into a tightly monitored infrastructure of control.
Durov’s warning, though dramatic, has reignited debate about the balance between safety and liberty in the digital age.
Anastasiia G
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