Chris Pavlovski, the founder and CEO of Rumble, a video-sharing platform, has announced that he has left Europe following the arrest of encrypted messaging app Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov. Pavlovski, who is of Canadian nationality, stated that he felt compelled to leave after French authorities detained Durov and “threatened” Rumble.
Pavlovski made claims that France had “crossed a red line” with Durov’s arrest. He previously stated in November 2022 that Rumble had ended access for French users as the country’s government requested the removal of certain Russian news sources. A claim that Rumble would legally challenge. Furthermore, in May, he asserted that Russia blocked Rumble for not complying with their censorship demands.
Pavlovski has not disclosed where he is now located after leaving Europe. His company, Rumble, which is based in Florida and Ontario, did not immediately respond for a comment. The video-sharing site is known for its less stringent approach to content moderation compared to social media giants such as Meta and Google, leading to its popularity among conservatives and conspiracy theorists.
The arrest of Pavel Durov led to an investigation reportedly focusing on Telegram’s alleged lack of cooperation with law enforcement and inadequate moderation of crimes, including drug trafficking, child sexual abuse content, fraud and terrorism. Telegram responded with a statement claiming compliance with European Union laws and continuous improvement in its moderation standards.
While French authorities have yet to release a public statement regarding Durov’s arrest, it is expected soon. Meanwhile, Pavlovski maintains that he and Rumble will continue their legal battles in the French courts, also expressing hope for Durov’s prompt release.