Telegram founder Durov: Russia's internet blocks drive away developers, undermine digital sovereignty
By
Meduza
Toasted just enough. A reliable bake, gently seasoned.
Summary
Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticized Russia's internet restrictions, arguing that blocks and censorship have driven tech talent out of the country and pushed "digital sovereignty" further out of reach. He noted that without a Russian-built smartphone operating system, all apps remain vulnerable to U.S. surveillance through backdoors in iOS and Android. Durov warned that simply swapping foreign apps for national ones while keeping American OSes does not achieve true digital independence.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe people who could actually build a Russian smartphone OS are bailing out of the country in droves because the internet there is broken.
Without that kind of system, every app on a phone — 'homegrown' or not — is wide open to targeted surveillance and censorship from the U.S. through backdoors in iOS and Android and their app stores.
Swapping 'foreign' apps for 'national' ones while keeping American operating systems does not achieve true digital independence.
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