Telegram restored after Apple briefly removes app over CSAM review

Apple has restored Telegram to the App Store after briefly removing the messaging platform over content that violated its child sexual abuse material policies, while the Telegram-linked Gram token has recovered most of its losses.

According to a report by Forbes, Apple temporarily removed Telegram from the App Store after its review identified content that breached the company’s policies on child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The platform was restored after Telegram removed the offending content and banned the user responsible, Apple said.

The development briefly weighed on crypto markets tied to Telegram’s ecosystem. CoinGecko data showed Gram fell about 6.4% from $1.41 to $1.32 after reports of the removal surfaced before rebounding to around $1.40 at the time of writing.

Telegram acknowledged the incident with a short post on X that read, “Reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated,” followed by an apple emoji.

Apple says Telegram addressed the reported violation

Providing additional details in a statement shared with Forbes, Telegram said Apple had reported a single user for sharing CSAM and that the account was immediately banned.

The company also said it had removed more than 337,900 groups and channels linked to CSAM during 2026. According to the statement, Telegram carried out another 29,640 removals in 2025 following reports from organizations including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

In a separate post on X, Telegram questioned Apple’s decision by tagging the company and writing that it hoped the same standard would be applied equally to other apps available on the App Store. The post linked to Telegram’s public safety overview page, which lists the platform’s enforcement actions against child exploitation content.

While the removal lasted only briefly, the episode prompted criticism from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, a long-time opponent of Apple’s App Store policies.

Sweeney argued on X that the App Store needed more competition globally, saying Apple had removed what he described as an important communication and privacy platform used by roughly one billion people. 

He also criticized what he called arbitrary enforcement by a dominant app marketplace, arguing such decisions create uncertainty for software developers.

Telegram faces legal challenges across multiple countries

The App Store episode comes as Telegram and its founder Pavel Durov continue dealing with legal cases in several jurisdictions over the platform’s moderation practices.

Late last month, Russia’s Federal Security Service charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activity and placed him on an international wanted list, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

Russian authorities allege Telegram failed to remove channels, group chats and bots that were allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist organizations and extremist groups to coordinate attacks, recruit members and conduct cyber fraud.

Earlier this year, Durov described the Russian investigation as politically motivated, saying Moscow was attempting to pressure Telegram into weakening user privacy and limiting freedom of speech.

The Russian case adds to an ongoing criminal investigation in France, where authorities continue examining Telegram’s handling of illegal activity on the platform.

French investigators arrested Durov near Paris in August 2024 while investigating allegations involving organized crime, cybercrime, fraud, money laundering and child sexual abuse material. Although French authorities later eased his travel restrictions, the investigation remains active.

Responding to the French case over the past year, Durov has argued that holding the head of a communications platform personally responsible for content created by users establishes an unsound legal precedent. Telegram has also maintained that it responds to legally valid requests from authorities while continuing to protect user privacy.

Australia has also taken Telegram to court

Australia has opened a separate legal battle against Telegram over alleged failures to remove terrorist and violent extremist material.

Last week, the country’s eSafety Commissioner launched Federal Court proceedings accusing the platform of leaving videos linked to the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket attack accessible despite receiving formal notices to remove them.

According to the regulator, Telegram may face civil penalties of up to A$54.6 million if the court determines it breached Australia’s online safety standards.

Telegram has rejected those allegations and said it intends to contest the case in court. The company said it blocked thousands of extremist communities during 2026 as part of its moderation efforts.

Telegram says enforcement has continued alongside privacy protections

Facing investigations in multiple countries, Telegram has continued pointing to its enforcement actions while defending its moderation approach.

The company said its safety systems have removed hundreds of thousands of CSAM-related groups and channels this year and that it acts on reports involving illegal material.

Telegram has also updated its terms of service and privacy policy since Durov’s detention in France, clarifying how it responds to legally valid requests from law enforcement agencies.

Throughout the various investigations, Durov has maintained that messaging platforms should cooperate with lawful investigations conducted through proper legal channels while resisting efforts that, in his view, weaken encrypted communications and user privacy.