MUMBAI: It was a disappearing act with a warning attached. Telegram founder and chief executive Pavel Durov has claimed the messaging app’s brief removal from Apple’s App Store was the result of an organised extortion attempt that exploited AI-modified illegal content, warning that the same tactic could be used against any platform hosting user-generated content.
In a post on X, Durov said Apple temporarily removed Telegram from the App Store after an attacker allegedly inserted illegal pornographic material into a public group by editing an older message. According to him, the content was effectively hidden from group members, making it difficult for users to spot or report while allowing it to be flagged directly to Apple.
The app was restored within hours. According to Durov, the individual behind the incident was part of a “takedown extortion” scheme that targets administrators of public communities.
He alleged that such groups use automated accounts to plant illegal content in public chats before reporting it to Apple, hoping legitimate communities will be removed if owners refuse to pay a ransom.
Durov argued that the episode does not point to a widespread moderation problem on Telegram. Instead, he said the need to use AI-edited, backdated and effectively invisible content demonstrates that the platform’s moderation systems are generally effective at removing illegal material.
However, he warned that the incident exposed a broader vulnerability affecting all online platforms.
According to Durov, Apple removed Telegram before contacting the company, creating what he described as a systemic risk for apps that rely on 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,” he said.
Durov also cautioned that takedown extortion tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with coordinated reporting campaigns posing a growing threat to online communities across multiple platforms.
He said Telegram has developed experience in identifying such abuse and protecting legitimate communities, but warned that other platforms may not be equally prepared to detect similar attacks.
Apple has not publicly commented on Durov’s allegations or confirmed the sequence of events surrounding Telegram’s temporary removal from the App Store.
The incident highlights the growing challenge facing app stores and social media platforms as artificial intelligence enables increasingly sophisticated methods of bypassing moderation systems, forcing developers to balance rapid enforcement with safeguards against malicious reporting.
