Telegram CEO and Dubai’s richest man, Pavel Durov turned a year older on October 10, 2025, but he has no plans to celebrate his special day.
His birthday post highlighted concerns around digital privacy with many countries introducing measures like digital IDs, online age checks, and scanning of private messages.
Expressing concerns over the future where coming generations will be deprived of freedom, Durov, wrote “we are on a path toward self-destruction — moral, intellectual, economic, and ultimately biological.”
Need to save the free internet
His birthday post started with: “I’m turning 41, but I don’t feel like celebrating,” and explains “our generation is running out of time to save the free Internet built for us by our fathers.”
“What was once the promise of the free exchange of information is being turned into the ultimate tool of control. Once-free countries are introducing dystopian measures such as digital IDs (UK), online age checks (Australia), and mass scanning of private messages (EU),” he added.
Durov wrote that while Germany is persecuting anyone who dares to criticize officials on the Internet, The UK is imprisoning thousands for their tweets, and France is criminally investigating tech leaders who defend freedom and privacy.
“A dark, dystopian world is approaching fast — while we’re asleep. Our generation risks going down in history as the last one that had freedoms — and allowed them to be taken away,” Durov wrote.
Durov towards the end of the post reiterated that he would not celebrate his birthday today as “I’m running out of time. WE are running out of time.”
What netizens say
Many netizens expressed their support to Durov agreeing with him. “Happy birthday. Very few like you. You are not wrong, shit is getting worse around the world, and most people think everything is getting better. We have a lot of work ahead,” a user wrote.
Some pointed that he skipped mentioning Russia, his home country.
“Happy birthday, Pavel! I wish you health, happiness, love, prosperity, and the continued growth of Telegram. You criticize the actions of the UK, Australia, Germany, and France, but for some reason, you remain silent about Russia, which restricts the internet. You also haven’t commented on the restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram calls in Russia,” another wrote.
