Apple briefly yanked Telegram from the App Store over CSAM violations

# Apple briefly yanked Telegram from the App Store over CSAM violations Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/974951/telegram-apple-app-store-removed](https://www.theverge.com/tech/974951/telegram-apple-app-store-removed) [Skip to main content](https://www.theverge.com/tech/974951/telegram-apple-app-store-removed#content) Telegram came back to the App Store after it took down the illegal content and banned the user who posted it\. Telegram came back to the App Store after it took down the illegal content and banned the user who posted it\. by Aug 4, 2026, 12:57 PM UTC   Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge [](https://www.theverge.com/authors/emma-roth) Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more\. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO\. Telegram is back on the App Store after Apple briefly removed it on Monday night over concerns about child sexual abuse material \(CSAM\)\. In a[statement to*Bloomberg*’s Mark Gurman](https://x.com/markgurman/status/2084474578668245098?s=20), Apple says a review found that Telegram “violates our strict guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material,” adding that it restored the app “after the developer promptly removed the content and banned the user who posted it\.” Telegram responded to Apple’s statement[in a post on X](https://x.com/telegram/status/2084493327622406227?s=20), saying: “I’m sure this stance will be applied equally to all other apps in the store, in the future, ​right?” Telegram also includes a link to its[safety overview page](https://telegram.org/safety), which says the messaging app “blocks tens of thousands of groups and channels daily and removes millions of pieces of content” that violate its policies\. “Apple was wrong to disrupt the legitimate communication of a billion people over the actions of a single user,” Telegram spokesperson Remi Vaughn says in a statement to*The Verge*\. Vaughn adds that Telegram has removed more than 337,900 groups and channels related to CSAM in 2026\. Apple didn’t immediately respond to*The Verge*’s request for comment\. In 2018,[Apple similarly removed Telegram](https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/5/16974710/apple-telegram-ios-app-store-removal-explanation-child-pornography-distribution)from the App Store due to the presence of CSAM\.[Telegram’s moderation policies](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/27/24229935/telegram-pavel-durov-france-arrest-moderation-crime)have come under fire in recent years, with French authorities[arresting its CEO Pavel Durov](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/25/24228444/telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-arrest-france-company-response)in 2024 and[charging him with enabling illegal transactions](https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/28/24230448/telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-charges-france)and complicity in the distribution of CSAM\. The messaging app disabled some[“misused” features](https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/6/24237526/telegram-pavel-durov-telegraph-location-features-moderation)and[changed its approach to private chats](https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/5/24237254/telegram-pavel-durov-arrest-private-chats-moderation-policy-change)as a result\. ***Update, August 4th:**Added a statement from Telegram\.* **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Emma Roth ## The Verge Daily A free daily digest of the news that matters most\.