Pavel Durov has warned that the European Union’s new age-verification appcould evolve into a broader system for online identity tracking, as questionscontinue over its security design and long-term use.SingaporeSummit: Meet the largest APAC brokers you know (and those you still don't!).The warning adds to tensions between Telegram and European authorities. Durovhas previously faced scrutiny in France over platform compliance andmoderation. The situation reflects ongoing regulatory pressure on Telegramacross Europe around content oversight and cooperation with authorities.Telegram Chief Flags EU Verification RiskIn a post on X, Durov cited findings by security consultant Paul Moore,who said the EU’s age-verification app could be bypassed within minutes. Theclaim raised concerns over how user authentication is linked to identity data.The European Commission said the system is ready for rollout. Firstintroduced in July 2025, it is designed to verify whether users are over 18without exposing personal data. Commission President Ursula von der Leyendescribed it as “completely anonymous.”The “age verification app” the EU wants to impose on the world got hacked in 2 minutes.Step 1: Present a “privacy-respecting” but hackable solution.Step 2: Get hacked (you are here).Step 3: Remove privacy to "fix" it.Result: a surveillance tool sold as “privacy-respecting”.— Pavel Durov (@durov) April 17, 2026Durov rejected that view, calling the system “hackable by design” andwarning it could later be expanded into broader identity verification acrossonline platforms. Russian OfficialsReact to Durov CaseFollowing Durov’s detention in France, the Russian embassy in Paris saidit had taken diplomatic steps to clarify the reasons for his arrest, demandingconsular access and assurances over his rights, while claiming Frenchauthorities had not cooperated. The embassy later said on Telegram that itremained in contact with Durov’s legal team.The case drew wider political reaction online, with Elon Musk resharingan earlier interview of Durov under the hashtag #FreePavel.Russian officials framed the detention as part of broader concerns overfree speech and governance in Europe. Lawmakers and diplomats, including AndreiKlishas and Mikhail Ulyanov, criticised the move as a sign of democraticdecline. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Durov had misjudgedgeopolitical realities, arguing he remained viewed through a Russian lens inWestern jurisdictions.This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.