Apple pulls Telegram from app store, gets a snarky response

Apple has temporarily removed the Telegram app from its App Store, only to restore it following the removal of content that violated the company's policies on child sexual abuse material. This action was reported by sources on Wednesday. According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, Apple's statement read, "We briefly removed Telegram from the App Store after our review found content that violates our strict guidelines prohibiting child sexual abuse material."

The app was then restored once the developer removed the offending content and banned the user responsible for posting it.

In response to Apple's decision, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov took to Twitter with a link to Telegram's Safety Overview, a summary of the content the platform deletes and bans that contravenes its Terms of Service. Durov's tweet, which included a link, read, "I'm sure this stance will be applied equally to all other apps in the store, in the future right?" tagging Apple's official account on X. Telegram also posted a similar message on its main page, along with an apple emoji, quoting, "reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated."

This incident is not the first of its kind. Apple had previously pulled the Telegram app from the App Store in 2018 due to "inappropriate content," but the app was reinstated after the issue was addressed. It's important to note that if you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, confidential help is available. The National Sexual Assault hotline can be reached at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and 24/7 support is available online at online.rainn.org.