Why does Apple keep banning Telegram, but never X?

<figure> <img alt="A photo of Elon Musk" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Photo: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/gettyimages-2256969963.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">For roughly an hour this week, Telegram <a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/974951/telegram-apple-app-store-removed">vanished</a> from Apple's App Store. Even during that blip, it was a stunning absence for such a major app: an avenue of communication for more than 1 billion users around the world, used widely as a secure platform for <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/7/23786422/telegram-russia-war-news-blogging-censorship-disinformation">people who live in countries under censorship</a>. Apple later revealed that it had removed the app due to the presence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and restored it once that content was removed.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But the decision once again stirred up questions and confusion about Apple's moderation policies and how it treats different companies. And one company in particular sprang to <a href="https://x.com/Magwettafx1st/status/2084697191025635578?s=20">many</a> <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/1vexh91/comment/p1lpd5s/">people's</a> <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1vf6s3l/comment/p1mja67/">m …</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/976405/apple-telegram-ban-x-app-store-violations">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>