Telegram pro-terror content lawsuit risks A$54.6M penalty
Australia has filed a Telegram pro-terror content lawsuit in the Federal Court, putting one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms on the wrong side of the law in a case that could cost it up to A$54.6 million. The action, brought by the country’s eSafety Commission after a year-long investigation, centers on allegations that Telegram left videos of terrorist executions and mass shootings accessible on its platform long after being warned to take them down.
Key takeaways
- Australia’s eSafety Commission has commenced civil penalty proceedings against Telegram in the Federal Court, seeking penalties of up to A$54.6 million under the Online Safety Act.
- Telegram allegedly failed to remove pro-terror videos, including footage of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting and the May 2022 Buffalo mass shooting, for months after being notified.
- The regulator also alleges Telegram failed to remove accounts, channels, and groups linked to extremist content, and failed to notify users who filed complaints of the outcomes of their reports.
- Telegram has denied the allegations, saying its anti-terrorism efforts are “extensive” and “well documented,” and that it will contest the case in court.
- The Australian action arrives days after Russia’s Federal Security Service charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorist activity, and follows his 2024 arrest by French authorities over related allegations.
Australia’s eSafety Commission Takes Telegram to Federal Court
The civil penalty proceedings were filed this week following a year-long investigation by the eSafety Commission. At the center of the case is Australia’s Online Safety Act, which imposes systemic safety obligations on digital platforms operating in the country. Breaching those obligations carries penalties of up to A$54.6 million — a figure that reflects how seriously Australian regulators are treating platform accountability for violent extremist material.
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