Pavel Durov: the Russian-born world citizen who created the ‘hack-proof’ Telegram
With 180-million users, he runs Telegram — Iran’s biggest messaging platform — as a charity, and it will never be for sale
Moscow/Dubai — Even half-naked on Tinder, where he just popped up, Pavel Durov loves to play hard to get. "Not looking for anything serious or not serious here," the Russian privacy crusader warns potential dates in Dubai, where he’s finally trying to settle down after roaming the globe for three years. "Just playing with the app." Durov, 33, has been toying with technology a lot since he was forced to sell his remaining stake in Russia’s largest social network, VK, to a Kremlin-friendly billionaire in 2014. The encrypted messenger he’s been working on, Telegram, which he calls hack-proof, already has about 180-million users, including 40-million in Iran alone, and is luring half a million more each day. He and his older brother Nikolai, an award-winning mathematician and programmer, fine-tuned their software while moving from country to country, avoiding recruiters from spy and law-enforcement agencies such as the FBI, which he says tried to bribe one of his developers in San Franc...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.