Telegram CEO says an extortionist planted CSAM in a chat to get it pulled from the App Store

<figure> <img alt="Photo illustration of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov with the Telegram logo." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25589996/STK207_STK085__PAVEL_DUROV_TELEGRAM_C.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Telegram CEO Pavel Durov blames an extortionist for planting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chat <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/974951/telegram-apple-app-store-removed">to get the app temporarily removed</a> from Apple's App Store on Monday night. "Apple removed Telegram from the App Store before contacting us," Durov <a href="https://x.com/durov/status/2084686326540996625?s=20">says in a post on X</a>. "This creates a potential systemic risk for every mobile app that hosts user-generated content. If an app used by more than a billion people can be removed from the App Store without prior warning, any app can be."</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Durov adds, "Extortionists have found a way to manipulate Apple into overreacting." Apple didn't immediately respond to <em>The Verge</em>'s request for comment.</p> … <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/975300/telegram-app-store-takedown-extortion-pavel-durov">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>