On his 41st birthday, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov chose to forgo celebrations and instead used a poignant and urgent post to awaken the world. He posted on the X platform today (10th), warning that the global "free internet" is facing an unprecedented crisis, saying that this generation may be the last in history to enjoy digital freedom unless immediate action is taken to stop the current trend of surveillance.
Freedom turns to control, and privacy is at risk
Durov stated in his post, "Our generation is losing the time to save the free internet our parents built for us." He noted that the internet, which once promised the free exchange of information, is now being transformed into the "ultimate tool of control." He cited "dystopian measures" in various countries as examples, including the UK's digital ID card, Australia's online age checks, and the EU's plan for large-scale scanning of private messages. He believes these measures are quietly depriving people of their basic rights.
He further criticized Germany for persecuting citizens who criticize officials online, the UK for imprisoning thousands of people for tweets, and France for launching criminal investigations into tech leaders who defend freedom and privacy. Durov warned, "A dark, dystopian world is rapidly approaching, and we are still sleeping." He believes that if this trend remains unchecked, the current generation risks leaving a shameful record in history for allowing their freedoms to be taken away.
A warning against betraying our ancestral heritage
Durov's remarks extend beyond technology to encompass culture and values. He lamented, "We have been misled into believing that our generation's greatest battle is to destroy everything our ancestors bequeathed us: tradition, privacy, sovereignty, free markets, and free speech." He argued that this betrayal has pushed humanity onto a path of self-destruction, encompassing moral, intellectual, economic, and even biological collapse.
Therefore, he refused to celebrate his birthday, emphasizing that "my time is running out, our time is running out."
Background: Global surveillance trends
Durov's warning echoes current global trends in digital surveillance. For example, the EU's "Chat Control" proposal, which attempted to pass in October 2025 and would have required encrypted messaging platforms to scan private messages, was temporarily blocked amidst heated debate. However, the threat posed by this initiative should not be underestimated: a 2023 European Data Protection Board report noted that such measures could lead to large-scale surveillance and threaten the security of encryption.
The same situation also occurred in Durov's native Russia. According to Human Rights Watch data from 2022, critics of Putin in Russia could face up to seven years in prison, while Durov has been in exile since 2014 for refusing to comply with the Kremlin's request to censor the VK platform.
Durov's birthday declaration is more than just a personal statement; it epitomizes the contemporary debate over digital freedom. With advances in surveillance technology and regulation, the question of whether the world can uphold the promise of a "free internet" has become a pressing issue.
