Apple removed Telegram from its App Store globally on August 3 after a review found child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the platform, then restored the app hours later once Telegram deleted the content and banned the user responsible, according to medianama.com. During the removal, new users could not download Telegram, but existing users retained access. The app remained available on the Mac App Store and Google Play throughout.
An Apple spokesperson told 9 to 5Mac that the removal was due to content violating Apple’s strict guidelines prohibiting CSAM. Telegram confirmed the app’s return to the App Store but did not explain the removal. The company stated on its official X account, “Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated,” and disputed Apple’s framing in a statement to Forbes, noting it had removed over 337,900 groups and channels related to CSAM in 2026 and banned the user who shared the offending content.
The incident highlights ongoing challenges in moderating harmful content on messaging platforms. Apple’s action applied across multiple countries, including South Korea, signaling its enforcement of content policies on apps distributed via its store. Telegram questioned whether Apple would apply the same standards equally to all apps, underscoring tensions between platform operators and app store gatekeepers over content moderation responsibilities.
Telegram’s official X account tagged Apple, raising questions about consistent enforcement across apps. The app’s brief removal and restoration within hours demonstrate Apple’s swift response to CSAM violations, while Telegram’s statement reflects its ongoing efforts to combat such content, having removed hundreds of thousands of related groups and channels this year.