Pavel Durov, the CEO of Telegram, has warned that banning social media for teenagers doesn’t protect them but exposes them to greater danger.
Durov was responding to the United Kingdom government’s new law restricting teenagers under 16 years from accessing social media apps.
Writing on his X page, the Telegram CEO argued that prohibition wouldn’t shield adolescents but would drive them toward encrypted tunnels and unregulated online spaces where real harm thrives.
“Banning social media for teenagers only puts them in greater danger,” he wrote.
“Teens are forced to switch to VPNs — and unlock far worse illegal content.”
Drawing from Russia’s “failed” attempt to ban Telegram, Durov noted that restrictions rarely work as intended.
The Telegram CEO also pushed back against mandatory age-verification measures, such as ID scans or bank cards, questioning whether the real motive is protection or surveillance.
“We’ve seen
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