Apple briefly pulls Telegram from App Store over alleged child abuse content
Apple removed Telegram from its iPhone and iPad App Store on Monday, citing a breach of its child sexual abuse material policy, but restored it later that night after the platform acted against the offending content.
Apple temporarily delisted Telegram from its iPhone and iPad App Stores on Monday after identifying content that breached its child sexual abuse material guidelines. The removal blocked new installations, though current users retained access during the outage. Apple explained that the decision followed a review that found prohibited material, and the app was reinstated later that night after Telegram promptly banned the offending user and removed the content.
Telegram's statement highlighted that it had already eliminated over 337,900 CSAM-related groups and channels in 2026, building on thousands of removals in previous years. The swift reversal drew rebuke from Epic Games co-founder Tim Sweeney, who condemned Apple’s handling as an example of monopolistic gatekeeping. The episode occurs amid broader scrutiny of Telegram, including recent Russian accusations against its CEO Pavel Durov for alleged terrorism facilitation.
Why it matters
The brief removal underscores tensions between platform policies, user safety, and the power of major app marketplaces.
In this story