Telegram CEO Pavel Durov claims Apple was manipulated into temporarily removing Telegram from the App Store after attackers allegedly exploited the platform’s moderation system to plant illegal content.
Apple removed Telegram from the App Store on Monday after identifying child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that violated its App Store guidelines. The app was restored about 40 minutes later after Telegram removed the content and banned the account responsible.
Durov argues the incident was not the result of a broader moderation failure, but rather a targeted attack designed to abuse Apple’s review process.
Durov Says an Extortion Scheme Targeted Telegram
In a statement published Tuesday, Durov said the attacker was what he described as a “takedown extortionist.” According to him, these attackers demand payments from administrators of public Telegram communities, threatening to have their groups removed if they refuse.
He claims the attackers use automated accounts to post illegal content in public groups before immediately reporting it to Apple in an attempt to trigger enforcement action.
Extortionists have found a way to manipulate Apple into overreacting. Apple removed Telegram from the App Store before contacting us. This creates a potential systemic risk for every mobile app that hosts user-generated content. 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 also said the attacker used a technical method that allowed an old message in an active group to be edited with illegal content. Because the message appeared far back in the conversation, he claims it went unnoticed by moderators and group members before it was reported.
Because Telegram quickly removes illegal content from public groups using all kinds of moderation tools, the attacker had to resort to a technical trick. He inserted AI-modified illegal content by editing an old message in an active group chat. As a result the content was effectively hidden from the group’s members, preventing them from seeing/reporting it.
According to Durov, this was an isolated incident rather than evidence of a widespread moderation problem on Telegram.
Apple Has Not Addressed the Allegation
Apple has not publicly commented on Durov’s claim that its App Store review process was manipulated.
The company said only that a content review identified child sexual abuse material on Telegram that violated App Store guidelines. Apple added that Telegram promptly removed the content and banned the responsible user, allowing the app to return to the App Store shortly afterward.
The incident comes as Apple continues to enforce strict rules around illegal content on apps that host user-generated material. At the same time, Durov’s claims raise broader questions about whether bad actors can attempt to misuse reporting systems against legitimate communities and platforms.
