Why does Apple keep banning Telegram, but never X?
The article examines Apple's inconsistent content moderation policies regarding Telegram and X. It explores the political and technical factors that influence why some platforms face stricter enforcement than others.
Why it matters
It highlights the immense power tech giants hold over digital communication and the lack of transparency in platform governance.
For roughly an hour this week, Telegram vanished from Apple’s App Store. Even during that blip, it was a stunning absence for such a major app: an avenue of communication for more than 1 billion users around the world, used widely as a secure platform for people who live in countries under censorship. Apple later revealed that it had removed the app due to the presence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and restored it once that content was removed.
But the decision once again stirred up questions and confusion about Apple’s moderation policies and how it treats different companies. And one company in particular sprang to many people’s minds: X, the Elon Musk-owned platform that stayed on the App Store even as sexualized Grok-generated images of children flooded the platform. What led to Telegram’s removal but X’s ability to stay online?
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in