Telegram Briefly Removed from App Store Over CSAM Concerns
Apple temporarily removed Telegram from its App Store after discovering content violating its child sexual abuse material guidelines, but reinstated it after the developer removed the offending content and banned the user. This is the second time Telegram has been removed from the App Store, with the first incident occurring in 2018.
Key points
- Apple removed Telegram from its App Store due to content violating its child sexual abuse material guidelines, but reinstated it after the developer removed the offending content and banned the user.
- This is the second time Telegram has been removed from the App Store, with the first incident occurring in 2018.
- Telegram has removed over 337,900 groups and channels related to CSAM in 2026, and 29,640 removals in 2025.
- Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, a longtime critic of Apple's App Store policies, has not commented on the incident.
- Apple's decision to remove Telegram from the App Store has been met with skepticism from the company, which posted a snarky response on X and its main page.
Apple temporarily removed Telegram from its App Store on Monday night after discovering content violating its child sexual abuse material guidelines. The app was reinstated a short while later after the developer removed the offending content and banned the user.
This is the second time Telegram has been removed from the App Store, with the first incident occurring in 2018. In a statement, Apple confirmed that the app was removed due to content violating its strict guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material.
Telegram has taken steps to address the issue, removing over 337,900 groups and channels related to CSAM in 2026, and 29,640 removals in 2025, following reports from groups including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The company's decision to remove Telegram from the App Store has been met with skepticism from the company, which posted a snarky response on X and its main page. The incident has sparked debate about Apple's App Store policies and its handling of content moderation.
Sources
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