Telegram’s Pavel Durov claims an extortionist planted child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in a public chat to get the app temporarily removed from Apple's App Store. The CEO warns that such incidents pose a systemic risk, as any app with over a billion users could face sudden removal without warning.

Durov writes that attackers use automated accounts to post illegal content and report it directly to Apple, aiming to target communities whose owners refuse to pay ransoms. He explains how the attacker edited an old message in a group chat, making the content invisible to members.

Telegram’s rapid moderation tools typically handle such issues swiftly, but this case required a more complex technical workaround. Durov highlights two key lessons: the potential for app developers to face sudden removals without warning and the evolving tactics of takedown extortionists that pose risks beyond messaging apps.

The incident raises concerns about how platforms handle content moderation and their resilience against such attacks. As Durov warns, vigilance is needed to protect online communities from similar manipulations in the future.