Australia Sues Telegram Over Failure to Remove Terrorist Content

The Australian eSafety Commissioner has launched civil proceedings in the Federal Court against Telegram for allegedly failing to detect and remove pro-terrorist and violent extremist content. The regulator claims the United Arab Emirates-based platform ignored notices for months starting in March 2024, maintaining a permissive environment that hosted videos of Islamic State beheadings and mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Christchurch, New Zealand.

Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that Telegram only showed initial signs of compliance after French authorities arrested CEO Pavel Durov in August 2024. The legal action follows a heightened security environment in Australia, including a December attack at a Jewish festival in Bondi. Telegram faces a potential fine for violating the Online Safety Act, with reports on the penalty ranging from A$38 million to A$54.6 million.

Telegram has rejected the allegations and stated it will contest the case in court. The company highlighted its anti-terrorism efforts, claiming it blocked over 150,000 terrorist-related communities this year. This lawsuit adds to growing international pressure on the platform, including charges against Durov in Russia for facilitating terrorism and an investigation in France regarding moderation failures.