Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has said the app was briefly removed from Apple's App Store after an extortionist planted child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chat, aiming to trigger a takedown. Durov said Apple pulled Telegram on Monday night without first contacting the company, warning that this sets a troubling precedent that could see any user-generated content app removed without warning. Telegram was restored within hours, but Durov used the incident to highlight what he describes as a broader extortion tactic targeting apps that host public communities.

According to Durov, the attacker evaded Telegram's moderation by editing an old message in an active group chat to insert AI-modified illegal content, effectively hiding it from group members who might otherwise have reported it. He said such "takedown extortionists" use automated accounts to plant illegal material and then report it directly to Apple, pressuring group owners who refuse to pay ransoms. Durov maintains that illegal content is not a systemic problem on Telegram given its moderation tools, and noted the case comes amid separate legal troubles, including a Russian arrest warrant and his 2024 arrest in France. Apple had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.