Key Takeaways
- Telegram's Pavel Durov claims an extortionist planted child sexual abuse material in a chat.
- Apple removed Telegram from the App Store without prior warning, according to Durov.
- Durov warns this could set a dangerous precedent for apps hosting user-generated content.
Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has accused an extortionist of planting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chat as part of a scheme to get the app temporarily removed from Apple’s App Store.
In a statement on X, Durov stated that 'Apple removed Telegram from the App Store before contacting us,' highlighting what he sees as a significant risk for other apps hosting user-generated content.
Durov further elaborated in his post: 'Extortionists have found a way to manipulate Apple into overreacting.' He emphasized that this incident could create a systemic risk, suggesting that any app with more than a billion users could face similar treatment without prior notice.
'Apple removed Telegram from the App Store before contacting us,'
Pavel Durov, Telegram CEO
'Extortionists have found a way to manipulate Apple into overreacting.'
Pavel Durov, Telegram CEO
