French Authorities Detain Durov For Not Sharing Location

It appears that even the most fervent evangelists of digital anonymity are not entirely immune to the rather quaint, physical demands of state authority. Pavel Durov, the enigmatic architect of the privacy-centric messaging behemoth Telegram, found himself abruptly grounded in France this Saturday, mere moments after disembarking from his private jet at Le Bourget airport.

One might observe a certain poetic justice, or perhaps just a delicious irony, in the fact that a man whose entire digital empire is predicated on allowing users to exist virtually off-grid was reportedly detained for the rather analogue transgression of failing to adequately disclose his corporeal whereabouts. Apparently, the French state, ever vigilant, has a keen interest in *where* exactly the champions of unfettered communication are touching down. Clearly, some locations are more equal than others when it comes to national security.