Telegram CEO Blames Extortionist for Planting CSAM to Remove App

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has accused an extortionist of planting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chat, leading to the app's temporary removal from the Apple App Store on Monday night.

"Apple removed Telegram from the App Store before contacting us," Durov stated in a post on X. He argued that this incident poses a "potential systemic risk for every mobile app that hosts user-generated content," adding that if an app used by over a billion people can be removed without warning, any app is vulnerable.

Durov further alleged that extortionists have discovered a method to manipulate Apple into overreacting. Apple did not immediately respond to The Verge's request for comment.

The incident raises questions about content moderation practices and the role of app stores in policing content, particularly user-generated material. Messaging apps like Telegram continuously face challenges in combating harmful content while striving to maintain user privacy.