Telegram was removed from the App Store because it was used to distribute child pornography

Last week Telegram and Telegram X were removed from the App Store and Mac App Store without any official reason. The rumors pointed to piracy that was distributed among the groups that exist in this instant messaging service, but the reasons go much further. As 9to5Mac picked up today , the reason for the withdrawal of these app would have been the distribution of child pornography through this app, something very serious that Apple obviously did not let go. 

Telegram was taken from the Store for distributing child pornography

These serious statements have been given today 9to5Mac based on an email from Phil Schiller, the head of the Apple Store, where he responds to a user who raises the question of why these applications have been removed. In this mail account the reasons for the withdrawal of these applications. This information according to 9to5Mac has been contrasted with Apple itself. 

The response of the head of the App Store was blunt and admire: they will never allow the distribution of child pornography through an application of the App Store. And when you have proof, that this may be happening, as has happened in Telegram, they will cut to the bone and they will withdraw it whatever the application. His words in particular were the following:

Telegram applications were removed from the application store because the App Store team was alerted to the existence of illegal content, specifically child pornography, in the applications. After verifying the existence of illegal content, the team removed applications from the store, alerted the developer, and notified the appropriate authorities, including the NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children).

As we can read, this distribution of child pornography was reported to the store team that could prove its existence and they took the best decision for me: eliminate the application . You can not allow this distribution of content in any application, and if you are aware of its existence you should always report it as anonymous users have done in this case.

The most chilling thing is that this content can come from a third party using a plugin compatible with Telegram. When the corresponding configurations were made in both applications, they returned to the Store.

The entire email is as follows:

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Telegram applications were removed from the application store because the App Store team was alerted to the existence of illegal content, specifically child pornography, in the applications. After verifying the existence of illegal content, the team removed applications from the store, alerted the developer, and notified the appropriate authorities, including the NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children).

The App Store team has worked with the developer to eliminate this illegal content from the applications and the prohibition of users who have published this horrible content that they can re-access the app. Only after it was verified that the developer had taken these measures and more controls were put in place to prevent this activity from being carried out again, the applications returned to the Store. 

We will never allow illegal content to be distributed through the App Store applications and we will take quick action every time we become aware of this activity. Above all, we have zero tolerance for any activity that puts children at risk - child pornography is top of the list of what should not be done. It is evil, illegal and immoral.

I hope you appreciate the importance of our actions so that App Store applications do not distribute content that contains illegal content and take immediate action against any person and any application that participates in the content that puts children at risk.

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For me the answer is to admire, and Apple's action has been fully justified. In these cases the tolerance must be zero and reassures me personally that Cupertino take these drastic measures without importing other factors, to protect minors and avoid any criminal act.