Telegram founder Pavel Durov has issued a statement explaining the messaging app’s brief removal from Apple’s App Store. He claimed that a takedown extortionist planted AI-modified illegal content in a public group to trigger the removal. Apple restored Telegram within hours. The company said it temporarily removed the app after finding child sexual abuse material that violated its guidelines. It reinstated Telegram after the platform removed the content and banned the user responsible.

Apple restored Telegram within hours. The company said it temporarily removed the app after finding child sexual abuse material that violated its guidelines. It reinstated Telegram after the platform removed the content and banned the user responsible.

According to Durov, the attacker edited an old message inside an active public group and inserted AI-modified illegal content.

He said this made the material effectively invisible to the group’s members. As a result, users could not see or quickly report it through Telegram’s normal moderation system.

Durov said Telegram normally removes illegal material from public groups through user reports, AI filters, content hashes and other moderation tools.

JUST IN – Pavel Durov issues a statement after Telegram is removed from and restored to Apple's App Store. pic.twitter.com/NlQ2QgsxXo

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Durov described the attacker as a takedown extortionist. Such attackers allegedly demand money from group owners in exchange for not targeting their communities.

According to his statement, these individuals use automated accounts to place illegal content in public groups. They then report the material directly to Apple in an attempt to remove communities whose owners refuse to pay them.

Durov argued that illegal pornographic content is not a systemic problem in Telegram’s public groups. He said the use of hidden, backdated content and other technical tricks shows that Telegram’s regular moderation measures work.

Durov also criticized Apple for removing Telegram before contacting the company.

He warned that the incident creates a wider risk for every mobile app that hosts user-generated content. According to Durov, malicious actors could manipulate Apple’s enforcement system to target legitimate platforms and communities.

He added that takedown extortion tactics continue to evolve across social platforms. While Telegram has experience identifying coordinated reporting attacks, Durov warned that other platforms may not be equally prepared.

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