Telegram CEO Pavel Durov stated that an extortionist planted child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chat, leading to the temporary removal of the app from Apple's App Store on August 4, 2026. Durov noted that Apple removed Telegram from the App Store without prior contact. He expressed concerns about the implications for other mobile apps that host user-generated content, stating, "If an app used by more than a billion people can be removed from the App Store without prior warning, any app can be." Durov further claimed that extortionists have found a way to manipulate Apple into overreacting. Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment.
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Telegram CEO claims extortionist planted CSAM to remove app from App Store
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov accused an extortionist of planting CSAM in a public chat, which resulted in the app's temporary removal from the App Store. He criticized Apple's lack of prior communication before the removal and raised concerns about the potential risks for other apps hosting user-generated content.
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Telegram CEO says an extortionist planted CSAM in a chat to get it pulled from the App Store
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Telegram CEO claims extortionist planted CSAM to remove app from App Store