July 22, 2025 – Paris
Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov has sharply criticized French authorities, warning that bureaucratic overreach is putting at risk years of progress in attracting technology investment.
“At this point, any tech company in France can be declared a ‘criminal organization’,” Durov wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) account. “A decade of efforts to build up the tech sector is being undone by a few bureaucrats pursuing personal and political ambitions at the expense of the French people.”
His comments come amid growing tensions between the French government and international tech firms. Durov’s remarks follow recent news that French authorities have opened an investigation into the platform X, owned by Elon Musk, over alleged “algorithmic manipulation and fraudulent data harvesting.” The company has strongly denied the claims, calling them “false and misleading.”
The dispute has sparked fresh concerns among entrepreneurs and investors about the regulatory climate in France, with some warning it could drive innovation and capital elsewhere.
While the French government has yet to comment on Durov’s remarks, critics say the probe into X reflects a broader pattern of mistrust toward global tech platforms — one that could cost France its hard-earned status as a European innovation hub.
