AI Generated Image
Telegram CEO Says 'Takedown Extortionist' Was Responsible For The App Being Briefly Delisted By Apple
Engadget • • technology
Key Points:
- Telegram founder Pavel Durov revealed that the app's brief removal from the Apple App Store was due to a targeted extortion attempt involving manipulated content.
- A malicious actor edited an old message in a group chat to display AI-modified illegal content that went unnoticed by members but was used to trigger automated reports.
- The extortionist threatened to use numerous automated accounts to report the content to Apple unless Telegram paid them to stop.
- Apple removed Telegram from the App Store without prior contact, raising concerns about systemic risks for apps hosting user-generated content.
- Durov criticized Apple's response as an overreaction influenced by the extortion scheme.
