Telegram CEO says extortionist tricked Apple into App Store ban

Telegram was targeted by a “takedown extortionist” who inserted AI-modified CSAM to pressure Apple into removing the app from the App Store, according to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

Apple removed Telegram from the App Store for about 40 minutes on Monday night after finding CSAM, but reinstated it once Telegram removed the content.

The attacker was a takedown extortionist, meaning someone who demands a ransom from group owners to prevent their communities from being targeted.

These extortionists use automated accounts to post illegal content in public groups and then report it to Apple, trying to get legitimate communities removed if owners do not pay them.

Durov said the attacker used a “technical trick” to get around moderation tools by editing an old message in an active group chat to add illegal content. The attacker got past moderation because group members did not see the message and could not report it.

Durov said illegal X-rated content in public groups is not a systemic problem because Telegram has effective moderation, and that this was an edge case in which an attacker used “backdated, effectively invisible content.”

According to Durov, Apple removed Telegram from the App Store before reaching out to the company. He said Apple was tricked into overreacting and warned about a “potential systemic risk for every mobile app that hosts user-generated content.”

After taking Telegram off the App Store, Apple said a content review found child sexual abuse material that broke App Store guidelines. Apple also said Telegram “promptly removed the content and banned the user,” which led to the app’s return. Apple has not commented on Durov’s claim about the extortionist.