Quick Breakdown
- Telegram’s Durov warns of a “dark, dystopian” future as governments erode online privacy.
- Germany opposes the EU’s Chat Control law that critics say threatens encrypted messaging.
- UK and Australia’s new digital ID and age checks draw backlash over potential government overreach.
Pavel Durov sounds alarm over rising digital surveillance
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has issued a stark warning about an impending “dark, dystopian world,” criticizing governments for rolling back privacy protections and undermining digital freedom.
In an X post on Thursday, Durov said he didn’t feel like celebrating his 41st birthday, lamenting that “our generation is running out of time to save the free internet built for us by our fathers.” He accused “once-free countries” of adopting authoritarian digital policies that threaten privacy and freedom of expression.
I’m turning 41, but I don’t feel like celebrating.
Our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers.
What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control.
Once-free countries…
— Pavel Durov (@durov) October 9, 2025
“What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control,” he wrote, pointing to measures such as the European Union’s Chat Control proposal, the UK’s digital ID initiative, and Australia’s online age verification laws.
In September, Durov revealed that French intelligence pressured him to censor Telegram channels ahead of Moldova’s presidential elections.
EU’s chat control faces pushback from Germany
The European Union’s proposed “Chat Control” law has sparked widespread criticism for threatening encryption and digital privacy. The legislation would compel messaging platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to scan users’ private messages before encryption — a move privacy advocates say amounts to mass surveillance.
Germany, however, has emerged as a key opponent. The leader of the country’s largest political party recently voiced opposition to the proposal, which could determine whether it passes in the European Parliament.
UK digital ID plan sparks privacy fears
In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s proposal for a national digital ID has triggered a wave of opposition. The initiative, unveiled in September, would require citizens to verify their right to live and work in the country through a government app.
More than 2.8 million people have already signed a petition opposing the digital ID rollout, easily surpassing the 100,000-signature threshold required for parliamentary debate.
Australia’s age verification law raises similar concerns
Australia is also tightening digital controls, announcing a new law to bar users under 16 from social media platforms starting December 10. Authorities plan to enforce the measure through a national age verification system — a move privacy advocates say risks exposing personal data.
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