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Telegram briefly disappeared from Apple’s App Store in multiple countries, blocking new downloads and reinstalls while leaving existing installations operational. The removal sparked widespread speculation after users in regions including the United States reported the app was no longer searchable or available, and neither Apple nor Telegram initially explained the disruption.
Apple later told Bloomberg that the app had been temporarily delisted after a review found content violating App Store rules on child sexual abuse material. Telegram said the app was restored after the offending content was removed and the responsible user was banned, with independent checks confirming the service was again searchable and downloadable worldwide.
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Pavel Durov said the content that triggered Telegram's temporary App Store removal had been intentionally planted by a takedown extortionist, allegedly by editing an old message in a public group and using AI-modified illegal imagery. He said Telegram removed the content, blocked the responsible user, and criticized Apple for removing the app before contacting Telegram.
Apple later told Bloomberg that it had briefly removed Telegram after App Review found content violating Apple's rules against child sexual abuse material. Apple said Telegram was restored after the developer removed the violating content and banned the responsible user.
Telegram later confirmed that its app had been restored to the App Store, and independent checks found it searchable and downloadable again. Telegram's official X account joked that reports of its demise were greatly exaggerated.
Telegram Messenger briefly vanished from Apple's App Store in multiple countries, including the United States, preventing new downloads and reinstalls while existing installations continued to work. The disruption reportedly began around 9 p.m. EST on Monday, with users seeing 'not available' and 'page not found' errors.
On July 29, 2026, Russia's Federal Security Service filed terrorism-related charges against Telegram founder Pavel Durov and added him to an international wanted list. The allegations said Telegram allowed channels and bots tied to a Ukrainian recruitment scheme to keep operating.
In 2024, Telegram was removed from Apple's App Store in China alongside WhatsApp, Threads, and Signal following a government order. One reference notes the removal remained in effect at the time of reporting.
The references state that Apple removed Telegram globally from the App Store in February 2018 over inappropriate content concerns. Telegram was later restored after adding content protections.
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Apple removed several major **VK** and **Mail.ru** applications from the App Store, including **VKontakte**, **VK Music**, **VK Messenger**, **VK Video**, **Odnoklassniki**, and other related services, triggering protests from VK and Russian officials. VK said the apps were taken down without prior notice or explanation and argued the move was unjustified and politically motivated, maintaining that the company itself is not under sanctions. Apple told BBC News Russia that the removals were required to comply with sanctions regulations, but did not specify which restrictions applied. The Kremlin condemned the decision as political censorship and questioned Apple’s reliability as a service provider. Kremlin spokesperson **Dmitry Peskov** urged Russian users to move to **Android** and domestic alternatives, while VK said its apps remain available through **RuStore**, **Google Play**, **Huawei AppGallery**, **Samsung Store**, **Xiaomi Store**, and official websites. The dispute adds to broader tensions over sanctions enforcement and app distribution in Russia, where authorities have also pushed Apple to allow third-party app stores such as **RuStore**.
Jun 29, 2026
Ofcom has opened an investigation into **Telegram** over evidence that the platform may have been used to share child sexual abuse material (**CSAM**), citing information from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and its own assessment under the UK **Online Safety Act**. The regulator said the probe will examine whether Telegram is meeting its duties to prevent illegal content and child sexual abuse and exploitation risks on user-to-user services. Telegram denied the allegations, saying it has largely eliminated public CSAM distribution since 2018 through detection systems and cooperation with NGOs, and argued the action may reflect broader pressure on privacy-focused platforms. The UK regulator also launched investigations into **Teen Chat** and **Chat Avenue** over suspected failures to protect children from grooming, with Chat Avenue additionally facing scrutiny over possible exposure of minors to harmful content including pornography. Ofcom is separately examining **X** over nonconsensual sexually explicit content reportedly generated through the Grok AI chatbot account. Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom can order platforms to make corrective changes, levy fines of up to **£18 million** or **10% of qualifying worldwide revenue**, and in serious cases seek court orders to disrupt or block access to non-compliant services in the UK.
Jun 29, 2026
Apple began restricting **US App Store** access to certain **ByteDance-owned apps**, using increasingly sophisticated location-determination and geoblocking mechanisms. Reporting highlighted Apple’s use of signals such as GPS, Wi‑Fi country codes, SIM information, and potentially IP-based location checks (as reflected in App Store legal terms) to decide whether apps subject to regional legal restrictions can be offered; some users reported partial workarounds via VPNs, though results are inconsistent. Google announced **Play Store policy changes** following its settlement of the **Epic Games** dispute, expanding developer billing options, adjusting fee structures, and introducing a **Registered App Stores** program to streamline installation of third-party Android app stores that meet Google’s safety/quality requirements. The rollout is staged by region (starting in the EEA/UK/US), and is positioned as enabling more alternative distribution while maintaining payment and ecosystem security controls—an approach that contrasts with Apple’s tighter, location-enforced gating of app availability and marketplace access.
Jun 29, 2026