Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant announced legal proceedings against Telegram for allegedly failing to remove extremist content from its platform in violation of the Online Safety Act. The regulator is seeking penalties of up to A$54.6 million against the messaging service.
Inman-Grant stated that Telegram retained content linked to major extremist attacks despite being notified of violations. The commissioner indicated that her agency began investigations in March 2024 and initially faced five months without meaningful responses from the platform. Content allegedly remaining on Telegram included recordings of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack and a Buffalo shooting from May 2022, along with videos of terrorist executions. Inman-Grant contended that the platform’s “permissive environment” for extremist material could contribute to desensitization and radicalization of users, and alleged the service was sometimes used for attack planning.
Telegram disputed the allegations, stating that its anti-terrorism efforts are extensively documented and announcing its intention to defend itself in court. The platform did not provide additional details on its specific safety measures.
The action follows other regulatory scrutiny of the messaging service. In February 2025, Australia’s eSafety regulator issued a A$1 million fine against Telegram for delayed responses to questions about handling child abuse and extremist content. Additionally, Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov faces separate legal challenges internationally, including recent terrorism-related charges from Russian authorities and ongoing investigations in France related to moderation practices.
Inman-Grant emphasized that the case reflects broader concerns about digital platform accountability. She noted that while Australia does not license platforms like Telegram, regulatory authorities retain the option to seek court orders suspending service provision, though such enforcement has not been previously employed.
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