French authorities have detained Pavel Durov, the French-Russian billionaire and founder of popular messaging app Telegram, at an airport near Paris. According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, Durov was taken into custody by officers from France's anti-fraud office, attached to French customs, upon his arrival at Bourget Airport on a private-jet flight from Azerbaijan.

BFMTV reports that Durov, often referred to as the "Mark Zuckerberg of Russia," had not been traveling to France and Europe regularly since the arrest warrant was issued. The 39-year-old tech entrepreneur was wanted under a French arrest warrant due to the lack of moderation on Telegram, which has allowed the platform to be used for illicit activities such as money laundering, drug trafficking, and the sharing of pedophilic content.

The European Union has recently intensified its efforts to combat disinformation and illegal content by cracking down on online platforms. As part of this campaign, regulators have targeted Telegram and other messaging apps to ensure they take greater responsibility for the content shared on their platforms.

Confirming Durov's detention, the Russian Embassy in France stated on Sunday that it is in contact with Durov's attorney. Durov and his brother, Nikolai Durov, launched Telegram in 2013, and it has since gained significant popularity with its claim of having 900 million active users.

According to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index, Pavel Durov boasts a net worth of $9.15 billion, making him one of the wealthiest individuals in the tech industry. As the legal proceedings unfold, it remains to be seen how this detention will impact the future of Telegram and Durov's role within the company.

The authorities' actions against Durov and the increased scrutiny on online platforms by EU regulators underscore the growing importance of moderation and content responsibility in the digital age. While Telegram's user base continues to grow, it now faces the challenge of implementing effective measures to ensure the app is not exploited for illicit purposes.