Sydney: Australia’s internet regulator, the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, announced on Thursday that it has commenced formal legal proceedings against the messaging platform Telegram. The regulatory action stems from alleged failures by the platform to remove prohibited content, specifically videos depicting terrorist executions and mass shootings, which remain accessible on the service despite prior formal notifications.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that the case centers on material linked to significant extremist violence in recent history, explicitly citing content associated with the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket attack in the United States. The regulator alleges that Telegram failed to uphold its obligations under Australian safety codes and standards by allowing such content to persist on its platform after being alerted. Should the company be found in violation, it could face civil penalties of up to A$54.6 million (approximately US$38 million).
Telegram, which reports over 1 billion monthly active users, has not yet issued a formal response to the legal challenge. The platform, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov—who relocated the company to Dubai in 2017—serves as a primary information hub regarding the ongoing war in Ukraine, utilized extensively by government officials in both Moscow and Kyiv.
The Australian legal development coincides with escalating international pressure on the platform. On Wednesday, Russian authorities filed charges against Durov, accusing him of facilitating terrorist activity. Moscow alleges that the encrypted messaging app has been exploited by Ukrainian intelligence services to coordinate and organize attacks within Russian territory.
