Telegram briefly removed from the App Store! The reason has been explained

Apple briefly removed the messaging app Telegram from the App Store on the grounds that it violated content policies regarding child sexual abuse. The app became temporarily unavailable for download for iPhone and iPad users.

During this period, users who had previously installed Telegram on their devices continued to use the app. New downloads, however, could not be made until the app was restored to the store.

Apple reported that, as a result of an investigation, it had identified content that violated strict guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material. The company announced that the app was readmitted to the App Store after Telegram removed the content in question and banned the user who shared it.

In its statement, Telegram noted that Apple had reported a user sharing child sexual abuse material and that this user was immediately banned. The platform announced that it had removed more than 337 thousand 900 groups and channels within this scope in 2026.

Telegram's security data also included that 29 thousand 640 removal actions were taken in 2025 following notifications from non-governmental organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Following its return to the store, the app's official X account posted, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," accompanied by an Apple emoji. Telegram also tagged Apple and asked whether this approach would be applied equally to other apps in the store.

The development comes at a time when debates over Telegram's content moderation are ongoing. The platform's founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, was recently accused by Russia of aiding terrorism, and Australian authorities have also alleged that the platform is insufficient in blocking violent content.