Apple briefly removes Telegram from App Store over CSAM

Telegram returned to Apple’s App Store after a brief removal that began Monday night. Apple cited a review that found the messaging app had violated its strict guidelines against child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The company said it had restored the app once the developer promptly removed the offending content and banned the user who posted it.

The incident followed Apple’s broader crackdown on apps that host or facilitate the distribution of CSAM. In a statement to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple emphasized that its guidelines prohibit such material and that it would enforce them across the entire App Store. Telegram’s response, posted on X, questioned whether the same scrutiny would apply to other apps, while also linking to its safety overview page that outlines its content‑moderation policies.

The swift removal and reinstatement highlight Apple’s ongoing effort to enforce its content‑protection rules, while Telegram’s public comments underscore the tension between platform regulation and developers’ perceptions of fairness. The episode serves as a reminder that even major messaging services must remain vigilant against illicit content to maintain their presence on major app marketplaces.