Pavel Durov: Telegram, Freedom, Censorship, Money, Power & Human Nature | Lex Fridman Podcast #482
Pavel Durov is the founder and CEO of Telegram.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep482-sb
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.
*Transcript:*
https://lexfridman.com/pavel-durov-transcript
*EXTRA FILES FOR EPISODE:*
If you need captions or videos with audio tracks for clips etc, go here:
https://lexfridman.com/pavel-durov-files
*HOW TO SWITCH BETWEEN LANGUAGES:*
This episode is available in English, Russian, Ukrainian, French, Hindi. To switch between languages on the main episode YouTube video, click: Settings (Gear Icon) … Audio Track … Choose Language.
*CONTACT LEX:*
*Feedback* – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey
*AMA* – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama
*Hiring* – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring
*Other* – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact
*EPISODE LINKS:*
Pavel’s Telegram: https://t.me/durov
Pavel’s X: https://x.com/durov
Telegram: https://telegram.org/
Telegram Contests: https://contest.com/
*SPONSORS:*
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
*Miro:* Online collaborative whiteboard platform.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/miro-ep482-sb
*UPLIFT Desk:* Standing desks and office ergonomics.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/uplift_desk-ep482-sb
*Fin:* AI agent for customer service.
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*LMNT:* Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep482-sb
*Shopify:* Sell stuff online.
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*OUTLINE:*
0:00 – Introduction
3:07 – Philosophy of freedom
6:15 – No alcohol
14:20 – No phone
20:16 – Discipline
41:28 – Telegram: Lean philosophy, privacy, and geopolitics
56:50 – Arrest in France
1:13:01 – Romanian elections
1:23:56 – Power and corruption
1:33:29 – Intense education
1:45:29 – Nikolai Durov
1:49:58 – Programming and video games
1:54:11 – VK origins & engineering
2:11:24 – Hiring a great team
2:20:40 – Telegram engineering & design
2:39:42 – Encryption
2:44:39 – Open source
2:49:26 – Edward Snowden
2:51:58 – Intelligence agencies
2:53:10 – Iran and Russia government pressure
2:56:19 – Apple
3:03:16 – Poisoning
3:35:31 – Money
3:44:23 – TON
3:54:13 – Bitcoin
3:57:12 – Two chairs dilemma
4:03:52 – Children
4:15:02 – Father
4:19:33 – Quantum immortality
4:26:05 – Kafka
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@lexfridman
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep482-sa
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.
0:00 – Introduction
3:07 – Philosophy of freedom
6:15 – No alcohol
14:20 – No phone
20:16 – Discipline
41:28 – Telegram: Lean philosophy, privacy, and geopolitics
56:50 – Arrest in France
1:13:01 – Romanian elections
1:23:56 – Power and corruption
1:33:29 – Intense education
1:45:29 – Nikolai Durov
1:49:58 – Programming and video games
1:54:11 – VK origins & engineering
2:11:24 – Hiring a great team
2:20:40 – Telegram engineering & design
2:39:42 – Encryption
2:44:39 – Open source
2:49:26 – Edward Snowden
2:51:58 – Intelligence agencies
2:53:10 – Iran and Russia government pressure
2:56:19 – Apple
3:03:16 – Poisoning
3:35:31 – Money
3:44:23 – TON
3:54:13 – Bitcoin
3:57:12 – Two chairs dilemma
4:03:52 – Children
4:15:02 – Father
4:19:33 – Quantum immortality
4:26:05 – Kafka
Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/pavel-durov-transcript
EXTRA FILES FOR EPISODE:
If you need captions or videos with audio tracks for clips etc, go here:
https://lexfridman.com/pavel-durov-files
HOW TO SWITCH BETWEEN LANGUAGES:
This episode is available in English, Russian, Ukrainian, French, Hindi. To switch between languages on the main episode YouTube video, click: Settings (Gear Icon) … Audio Track … Choose Language.
CONTACT LEX:
Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey
AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama
Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring
Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact
EPISODE LINKS:
Pavel's Telegram: https://t.me/durov
Pavel's X: https://x.com/durov
Telegram: https://telegram.org/
Telegram Contests: https://contest.com/
SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Miro: Online collaborative whiteboard platform.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/miro-ep482-sa
UPLIFT Desk: Standing desks and office ergonomics.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/uplift_desk-ep482-sa
Fin: AI agent for customer service.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep482-sa
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep482-sa
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep482-sa
@atlantis4230
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Дуров, верни стену!
@lxsmochilerxsclub
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Лекс сидит иногда с таким видом, будто изо всех сил старается не заржать. Или он дико кринжует и делает "рука-лицо". Но почему-то именно в тех моментах, где ничего смешного нет. Ну, как мне кажется. И мне стало интересно, задумано так, что мимика Лекса привносит какой-то смысл или нет? 🧐
@sentiasatransformasi
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
on one hand im very impressed by pavel durov as a person in many ways… on the other hand, his platforms enables super wide distribution of child porn n all the other nasty kink stuff
@guyohkohnyo
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
victoria concordia crescit
@forestgump4466
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Это Криштиану Роналду в айти сфере.. Респект 😅
@ЕгорМонг
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Посмотрел первые 23 минуты, Павел Дуров говорит очень правильные вещи! Я даже меньше злюсь из-за украденных им голосов вконтакте! Респект!
@pressupostoi
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
The Russian Durov is not subordinate to the European Camarilla. If he withdraws Telegram from the EU, it will be very funny. Such an organic sanction is really taking away freedom. No privacy and freedom of speech for Europe. Handsome)). I'll find out where his school is and send my grandson there. Hello from Russia
@litovillar6027
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Damn Pavel Durov!!! "Real life is still constant competition." I got motivated lol😁 1:42:30 – 1:42:50
@vlog_philippines
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
спасибо огромное Лекс и Павел за выпуск! сохранил себе в mp3, чтобы когда буду в горы или с гор идти – слушать и вникать умным мыслям.
@anastasiyajaguzhinskaya7825
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Omg, please! Where do I find the sperm material??? I will spend all my savings on it! For real 😐
@SM-tt2dt
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Жаль что Павел забыл упомянуть как телеграмм заблокировал бота умного голосования 18.09.2021 . А так интервью скучноватое лучше бы к Дудю уже пришел.
@cbeltran7
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
insightful episode
@VitalyStockman
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Very inspiring, thank you both! P.S. Now who would believe that Pavel Durov's brother is not Satoshi Nakomoto? 🤔🤔🤔 🤠
@bang-bangtv6091
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
2:33:24 Yes, I totally agree with the details, we clearly feel it… double agree with Lex, I love the effect when I erase a message too… ahah
@yozeruga
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
So was he being poisoned or assassination attempt?? 3:05:00
@timur24
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Дуров как будто то сгенерирован ии, он точно жив или на свободе?
@petrokitsul2070
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
This is very boring conversation. I could go through it all 😢
@jecodedoncjesuis875
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Si tout le monde faisait comme toi Pavel, tu n'allais jamais être connu.
Car si tu es connu, c'est grace aux androids. Donc ta philosophie est nulle
@Rvand4
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Great meeting of 2 russian kremlin agents.
@greenacres6239
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
very unclear….this whole pc doent seem to clarify what is alleged in simple g serch. —-> tg = no longer anon / will turn over data
@XKS99
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
I will stop drinking tomorrow
@nfgdsrtdd
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
Сон – ежедневное "умирание"; страшна не смерть, страшна боль перед смертью
@greenacres6239
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
dont need to annouce "bathroom breaks" lol
@bang-bangtv6091
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
1:43:00 This is a complex topic…you're maybe mixing motivation with competition at this point. I say competition today, in this System, is making people working almost 80% of their time for nothing, a constant battle, instead of sharing efforts and building true things to progress. Competition breeded lobbies whom are constantly preventing innovation for the greater good, create considerable loss of energy, swallow the small genius into the giants monopoles … Competition is slowing us in our evolution. What we should seek instead is a better recognition of the doers and a better System where people work less but they all build together things that really matters and count. We would already be in a more advanced civilisation and technology if we weren't in competition against each others for a piece of the cake…
@Dp9Hb
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
i went swimming after that
@reznikvova
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
“I need a bathroom break” Fridman
@iykyk000
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
2-hours could've been saved by Fridmans weak follow ups and tangents. Don't try to seem smart bro.
@yudoball
October 3, 2025 at 3:11 am
im glad Pavel is safe
Comments are closed.