Apple temporarily removed the Telegram app from its App Store on Monday night after its review process uncovered child sexual abuse material on the platform.
The removal surprised many users, as Telegram’s app listing was inaccessible for about 40 minutes on iOS and iPadOS devices, displaying a page-not-found error. However, the app remained available on the Mac App Store and existing users continued to access it without interruption.
Apple's Response
Apple confirmed the removal was due to violations of its strict policies against child sexual abuse content. The company stated the app was reinstated after Telegram promptly removed the offending content and banned the user responsible.
Telegram's Actions
A Telegram spokesperson explained that the issue stemmed from a single user sharing illegal material, who was immediately banned upon detection. The platform highlighted its ongoing efforts to combat such content, reporting that over 337,900 groups and channels linked to child sexual abuse material have been removed in 2026 alone, in addition to nearly 30,000 removals in 2025. Many of these actions followed alerts from child safety organizations.
Context and History
- The app’s brief absence affected only new downloads and the App Store listing; existing users maintained access throughout.
- Telegram has previously faced scrutiny over content moderation, including a 2018 App Store removal by Apple for inappropriate content.
- Founder Pavel Durov was indicted in France in 2024 related to illegal material on the platform, and the company has encountered legal challenges from Russia and Australia over extremist content.
Telegram responded to the incident with a dry comment on social media, reflecting the ongoing tensions between the company and Apple regarding content oversight.
