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Telegram Trolls France On World Cup 2026 Exit; The Reason Is Not Football At All

July 17, 2026

The French campaign at the FIFA World Cup 2026 came to a sudden halt as Spain delivered a decisive 2-0 defeat in the semifinals, propelling them into the finals. The atmosphere in the French camp is one of disbelief, while Spanish supporters around the globe are basking in the glory of their team’s triumph. Interestingly, a few observers have found joy not just in Spain’s victory but in France’s unexpected exit. Notably, the Telegram Messenger app took to Twitter, posting an emphatic “BYE BYE” alongside a screenshot of the match result, signaling a moment of schadenfreude.

Telegram’s French Slamfest & Pavel Durov’s Arrest

Telegram’s playful jab seems to transcend the realm of football, echoing a deeper narrative tied to its billionaire co-founder, Pavel Durov, who faced legal troubles in France back in 2024. The timeline of events surrounding his arrest is as follows:

  • July 8, 2024: Paris prosecutors initiate a preliminary investigation into alleged criminal activities facilitated through Telegram, including drug trafficking and wire fraud.
  • August 24, 2024: Durov is detained by French customs and anti-fraud officers upon arriving at Le Bourget Airport from Azerbaijan.
  • August 28, 2024: He is indicted on 12 charges and placed under judicial supervision, with a bail set at .91 million.
  • September 2024: Telegram announces a policy change regarding user data, stating it will share IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities under valid search warrants.
  • Until November 2025: Durov is required to report to French police biweekly.
  • November 13, 2025: The travel ban imposed on Durov is fully lifted.

Telegram’s French Slamfest & Elon Musk’s Defence

The arrest of Durov was met with criticism, particularly from figures like Elon Musk, who viewed it as an infringement on freedom of expression. Musk questioned why other tech leaders, such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, had not faced similar scrutiny. In a twist of irony, French authorities have also taken jabs at Musk regarding issues of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on platforms like X/Twitter and Grok. It’s worth noting that all these platforms, including Telegram, have been criticized for being potential havens for exploiters and scammers.

Durov himself has characterized his arrest as politically motivated and absurd. A representative from Telegram clarified that the platform’s privacy policy has long allowed for the disclosure of user data in response to legitimate legal requests, asserting that the updates made in September 2024 were merely clarifications rather than new policies.

See Also: Telegram’s Billionaire Boss Reveals How He Coded His First Social Media App By Surviving On Boiled Pasta (And Cheese)

Cover: Screenshot | Telegram’s tweet

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Telegram Trolls France On World Cup 2026 Exit; The Reason Is Not Football At All