Apple briefly pulled Telegram from its App Store after a review found material that Apple classified as child sexual abuse material. The developer removed the offending content and banned the account, and Apple subsequently restored the app. Telegram pushed back publicly, while founder Pavel Durov has faced legal pressure in France and sanctions from a Russian regulator. The platform remains widely used, with an estimated 1+ billion users.
Apple Briefly Pulls Telegram From App Store After CSAM Content Is Found
FILE PHOTO - The Telegram app icon is visible on a smartphone screen. (is associated with: «Apple briefly removes Telegram from App Store over content violation») Fabian Sommer/dpa
Apple briefly removed the Telegram messaging app from its App Store after a review found material that the company said constituted child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
"The app was subsequently restored after the developer promptly removed the content and banned the user who posted it," Apple said, noting the removal followed its strict rules prohibiting CSAM.
During the review and removal period, Telegram was temporarily unavailable for new downloads from the App Store. Apple did not say how long the app was unavailable for new installs.
Telegram responded on X with a defiant post: "Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated," accompanied by an apple emoji.
The incident comes amid broader scrutiny of Telegram. Founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France in 2024 over allegations that the platform failed to prevent misuse by certain accounts, and Russia's top financial supervisory authority recently placed him on a list of terrorists and extremists.
Telegram distributes a large volume of content in Russian, including posts from official Kremlin channels and critics. While the service is not formally banned in Russia, many users access it via encrypted connections or virtual private networks.
Industry estimates put Telegram's global user base at more than 1 billion people. The episode underscores the ongoing moderation challenges facing large messaging platforms as they balance user privacy, encryption, and compliance with platform policies and legal requirements.
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