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Pavel Durov

What Pavel Durov thinks about government

@pavel-durov · 24 positions · 0 changes of mind

Founder of Telegram, and before it of VK.

Pavel Durov did not write this page.

We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.

4 dated positions, 2025, in their own words. Our reading of what Pavel Durov has said — not written or endorsed by them.

4 positions so far — this page is not yet offered to search engines.

  1. Our readingTelegram has never shared a single private message with anyone, governments and intelligence services included.

    Their wordsNo, never. Telegram has never shared a single private message with anyone, including governments and intelligence services. If you try to access any server in any of the data center locations, it's all encrypted.

    ↗Pavel Durov: Telegram, Freedom, Censorship, Money, Power & Human Nature | Lex Fridman Podcast #482youtube.com 10th of 28 in this recording

    data centersprivacyTelegram

    Interesting

  3. Our readingGovernment is people with goals, so it grows by nature; there must be very strict limits on how far it can expand its power at the expense of citizens.

    Their wordsThat's how you end up in an endless loop of ever-increasing taxes, ever-increasing regulation, which ultimately suffocates free market, free enterprise, and free speech. So, you do want to have very, very strict limitations on the extent the government can increase its powers at the expense of citizens.

    ↗Pavel Durov: Telegram, Freedom, Censorship, Money, Power & Human Nature | Lex Fridman Podcast #482youtube.com 13th of 28 in this recording

    censorship

    Interesting

  5. Our readingHe would rather lose everything than yield to government pressure to block channels, because submitting to something fundamentally wrong breaks a person inside.

    Their wordsAnd I would rather lose everything I have than yield to this pressure because, if you submit to this pressure and agree with something that is fundamentally wrong and violates rights of other people as well, you become broken inside, you become a shell of your former self on a deep biological and spiritual level.

    ↗Pavel Durov: Telegram, Freedom, Censorship, Money, Power & Human Nature | Lex Fridman Podcast #482youtube.com 15th of 28 in this recording

    Interesting

  7. Our readingEurope must decide how big it wants its public sector to be: France's public spending at 58 percent of GDP is above the late Soviet Union's.

    Their wordsBecause today, if you take France for example which is a beautiful country with a lot of talented people, but public expenses are 58% of the country's GDP, it's maybe as much more than in the latest stage of the Soviet Union.

    ↗Pavel Durov: Telegram, Freedom, Censorship, Money, Power & Human Nature | Lex Fridman Podcast #482youtube.com 16th of 28 in this recording

    Europe

    Interesting