Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, has commented on the temporary removal of the app from the App Store and warned other developers about a new threat, reports infohub.kz.
In his Telegram channel, Durov explained that the incident was caused by a single user who posted illegal pornographic content in a public group chat. "Since Telegram quickly removes illegal content from public groups using various moderation tools, the attacker had to resort to a technical trick. He edited an old message in an active group chat and inserted illegal content generated or altered with AI," Durov said.
According to the founder, the content was effectively hidden from group members, who could not see it and report it in a timely manner. "The attacker turned out to be a takedown extortionist: such people demand money from group owners in exchange for promising not to attack their communities. They use automated accounts to post illegal content in public groups and then directly complain to Apple, trying to get legitimate communities removed whose owners refused to pay," Durov stated.
The businessman emphasized that illegal pornographic content in Telegram's public groups is not a systemic problem—moderation works effectively. Durov believes that two important conclusions can be drawn for app developers and online communities.
"Extortionists have found a way to make Apple overreact. Apple removed Telegram from the App Store without even contacting us in advance. This creates a potential systemic threat to any mobile app with user-generated content. If an app used by over a billion people can be removed from the App Store without prior warning, it could happen to any app," he wrote.
Furthermore, Durov noted that the tactics of extortionists using complaints to block communities are becoming increasingly sophisticated, putting communities on various social platforms at risk. He urged other developers to be vigilant.
Earlier, it became known that Apple briefly removed Telegram from the App Store due to prohibited materials. As it turned out, moderators discovered content violating the platform's rules against sexualized violence against children.