Individuals have used them to organize protests against the government. Its “secret chats” employ end-to-end encryption, which allows back-and-forth communications to be secure. Though used by millions of people around the world, Telegram’s messaging apps are baked in controversy. On its website, the company said it is “ready to relocate again if local regulations change.” He has since run Telegram from various overseas outposts, most recently Dubai. Telegram has not yet responded to a USA TODAY request for comment.ĭurov, a Russian programmer who has been referred to as the “Mark Zuckerberg of Russia,” fled his native country in 2014. More: Apple iPhone X strategy stumbles but higher prices likely kept sales afloat More: Net neutrality app is a lesson in Apple's App Store power

In general terms, Apple's guidelines indicate that 'apps should not include content that is offensive, insensitive, upsetting, intended to disgust or in exceptionally poor taste.' Nor should they be inflammatory or intended to cause physical harm, the company says. The apps can still be downloaded onto a computer via the Mac version of the App Store.Īpple also confirmed the removal of the iOS apps but gave no reason. Telegram’s free apps are still available for Android in the Google Play store. “Once we have protections in place, we expect the apps to be back on the App Store.” He did not comment on timing.

“We were alerted by Apple that inappropriate content was made available to our users, and both apps were taken off the App Store,” Pavel Durov remarked on Twitter. Telegram’s founder and CEO said Apple removed the company’s controversial messaging apps from the iOS App Store because of content that apparently violated Apple’s guidelines.

Telegram ios app