Telegram has reportedly been removed temporarily from Apple's App Store in several countries following concerns over content that violated Apple's strict platform guidelines.
The messaging app's disappearance comes as Telegram continues to face regulatory scrutiny in multiple regions over content moderation and misuse-related concerns.
Apple later confirmed that it had briefly taken down Telegram after identifying content linked to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), which violated the company's App Store policies.
According to Apple, the app was restored after Telegram removed the reported content and banned the user responsible for posting it.
Telegram Restored After Content Removal
The removal affected Telegram's availability on Apple's App Store in several countries, although the app remained accessible through the Mac App Store at the time of reporting. Android users were still able to download Telegram through the Google Play Store.
Existing Telegram users who already had the application installed continued to access the service without disruption.
In India, Telegram users with iPhones can still download and use the app, indicating that the country was not among the affected regions.
Why Was Telegram Removed From Apple App Store?
Apple removed Telegram temporarily after detecting content that breached its rules related to harmful and illegal material, particularly child sexual abuse content.
The company said Telegram acted quickly by deleting the violating content and removing the account responsible, allowing the app to return to the App Store.
Apple maintains strict content moderation requirements for all apps available on its platform, and applications that fail to comply can face temporary removal until violations are addressed.
Telegram's Previous App Store Issues
This is not the first time Telegram has faced action from Apple over content moderation concerns.
In 2018, Apple temporarily removed Telegram from the App Store worldwide after identifying inappropriate content being shared through the platform.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov later confirmed that Apple had alerted the company about the issue, following which Telegram introduced additional safeguards before the app was restored.
Telegram Faces Regulatory Pressure Globally
Apart from Apple's actions, Telegram has faced restrictions and investigations from governments in several countries.
In 2023, Brazil temporarily suspended Telegram after the company failed to provide requested information during an investigation involving groups accused of encouraging violence in schools.
In 2024, Apple removed Telegram along with other messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, Signal and Threads, from the Chinese App Store following an order from China's internet regulator. The restriction remains in place.
The latest incident highlights the growing challenges faced by messaging platforms as governments and technology companies increase pressure on apps to strengthen content moderation and prevent illegal activities.
