Australia sues Telegram over alleged failures to remove terror contentTelegram faces Australian court proceedings after eSafety alleged the platform failed to detect and remove extremist material shared by users.
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Telegram, the messaging platform with over 1 billion users globally, is facing legal action in Australia for allegedly failing to remove terrorist-linked content. The country’s online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, initiated civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court, accusing Telegram of violating the Online Safety Act. The regulator claims that Telegram did not adequately respond to multiple user complaints about “pro-terror” material and left some unlawful content visible for up to three weeks despite being notified.
According to the eSafety investigation, Telegram failed to take effective action such as removing accounts, channels, and groups responsible for distributing extremist material. The regulator highlighted Telegram’s inability to detect certain well-known extremist content, including footage from the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the 2022 Buffalo mass shooting, before these materials were eventually taken down. Australia is seeking financial penalties that could reach up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (approximately $35.8 million USD). Telegram has not officially commented on the proceedings but posted a video on its official X account captioned “freedom of expression.”
This lawsuit adds to mounting international pressure on Telegram and its CEO Pavel Durov, who is simultaneously facing legal challenges in Russia and France. In Russia, the Federal Security Service recently charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, citing Telegram’s alleged failure to remove channels used by intelligence and extremist groups. Meanwhile, French prosecutors continue to investigate Durov following his 2024 arrest on charges related to the distribution of illegal content via Telegram. Durov has publicly criticized government actions as threats to online privacy and free information exchange.
The Australian case underscores ongoing global scrutiny of how online platforms moderate harmful and extremist content. The eSafety Commissioner’s action highlights that platforms like Telegram may face significant financial and regulatory consequences if they do not effectively enforce online safety standards. The evolving legal challenges point to increasing governmental efforts worldwide to hold major social networks accountable for content moderation failures.