Telegram, the messaging app founded by Pavel Durov, has achieved profitability for the first time. In a post on X, Durov announced that the company had successfully repaid “a meaningful share” of its approximately $2 billion debt. This milestone comes amidst increasing scrutiny of Telegram’s role in the spread of misinformation and illegal content, including child sexual abuse material.
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In August, French prosecutors charged Durov in connection with alleged crimes committed on the platform, and he has been restricted from leaving the country.
Telegram’s revenue surpassed $1 billion in 2024, and the company currently holds over $500 million in cash reserves, excluding cryptoassets.
With over 900 million active users, Telegram has faced criticism from governments worldwide, including the European Union and authoritarian regimes in Russia and Iran, due to its perceived failure to effectively address the presence of illegal content and its limited responsiveness to takedown requests.
Concerns about Telegram’s role in the spread of harmful content have been highlighted in various instances:
- Moldova: Authorities in Moldova alleged that Telegram was used to organize a Russia-backed operation aimed at undermining the country’s European aspirations.
- Spain: Following deadly floods in Spain, Telegram was used to disseminate misinformation regarding the death toll and the cause of the disaster, including unsubstantiated claims of a manufactured storm.
- United States: White-supremacist groups have increasingly utilized Telegram to recruit new members, amplify racist conspiracies, and engage in extremist activities.
In response to these concerns, Telegram spokesperson Devon Spurgeon stated that the company is committed to combating misinformation “responsibly.”
“We do this by providing users only with the content they have subscribed to and offer a verification system to help users identify official channels,” Spurgeon said. “We also do not deploy algorithms that promote sensational content.”
