Elon Musk defends Telegram CEO Pavel Durov following his arrest, while criticizing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for yielding to censorship pressure. Musk's comments on X (formerly Twitter) highlight the rivalry between the two tech leaders and address concerns over censorship, encryption, and the treatment of user data.
Elon Musk Criticizes Zuckerberg as Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested
Elon Musk defended Telegram CEO Pavel Durov and took aim at Mark Zuckerberg, accusing him of bowing to “censorship pressure” following Durov’s arrest.
On X (formerly Twitter), Musk responded to a user questioning why Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hasn’t faced similar legal actions, given that his platforms, like Instagram and WhatsApp, operate in ways comparable to Telegram.
Musk shared the post and commented: “Because he bowed to censorship pressure. Instagram has a huge problem with child exploitation, but no one arrested Zuck because he censored free speech and gave the government backdoor access to user data.”
Musk Defends Free Speech
In this post, Musk appears to reference the ongoing issues surrounding minors being exploited on Facebook and Instagram. Meta has faced multiple lawsuits and been publicly criticized by former employees for failing to adequately protect young users on its platforms. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg was forced to testify and apologize to families whose children were affected by these issues.
In response to Musk’s comments, a Meta representative stated that the company follows all legal requirements when it comes to law enforcement data requests. The spokesperson emphasized that both Messenger and WhatsApp are encrypted, meaning Meta cannot access users’ private conversations.
Musk vs. Zuckerberg Rivalry
The tension between Musk and Zuckerberg is nothing new. The two have been long-standing rivals, often taking jabs at one another. Recently, Musk reignited the rivalry by challenging Zuckerberg to a physical fight, mocking him for his leisure activities. When Zuckerberg was photographed surfing in a vest on the US Independence Day, Musk commented that he preferred “work to play.”
However, Musk surprised many when he offered rare praise for Zuckerberg on July 23, after Meta released its open-source AI model, Llama 3.1. Musk called the model “impressive” and credited Zuckerberg for his efforts in building an open-source AI tool.
Pavel Durov’s Arrest and Musk’s Support
On August 24, Pavel Durov, the co-founder and CEO of Telegram, was arrested at an airport near Paris after arriving from Azerbaijan. Authorities charged Durov, claiming that Telegram lacked sufficient moderators and failed to cooperate with law enforcement. Due to Telegram’s encryption, the app has been used for illegal activities, including drug trafficking, cyber violence, and organized crime, potentially implicating Durov.
Following Durov’s arrest, Musk expressed his disapproval, writing on X: “It’s 2030 and in Europe you’re on trial for liking a meme.” Musk also shared several videos of Durov’s statements and used the hashtag #FreePavel to show his support.
Elon Musk’s defense of Pavel Durov and criticism of Mark Zuckerberg continues to fuel his image as a champion of free speech. While Zuckerberg faces ongoing scrutiny over Meta’s moderation policies, Musk’s public support for Durov emphasizes the broader debate about encryption, privacy, and censorship in the digital age. The rivalry between Musk and Zuckerberg also highlights their opposing views on how platforms should handle user data and government oversight.
