Telegram is used by around 950 million people worldwide and has previously positioned itself as an app focussed on its users’ privacy, rather than the normal policies prioritised by other global social media companies.
But reporting from the BBC and other news organisations highlighted criminals using the app to advertise drugs as well as offer cybercrime and fraud services and, most recently, child sexual abuse material.
It led one expert to brand it “the dark web in your pocket“.
The firm has previously said his arrest is unfair, and he should not be held liable for what users do on the platform.
From his home in Dubai, Mr Durov thanked the French judges for letting him go home.
He also thanked his lawyers for their “relentless efforts in demonstrating that, when it comes to moderation, cooperation, and fighting crime, for years Telegram not only met but exceeded its legal obligations”.
However, since the arrest, Telegram has made a series of changes to the way it operates.
It has joined the Internet Watch Foundation programme, which aims to help find, remove and report child sexual abuse material being shared online.
It has also announced IP addresses and phone numbers of those who violate its rules will be handed over to police in response to valid legal requests.
And it has published transparency reports about how much content is taken down – a standard industry practice it had previously refused to comply with.
A Telegram spokesperson said the company actively moderates its platform to remove millions of pieces of harmful content each day adding that “unfortunately, criminal activity exists on every platform, despite efforts to combat it.”
