Australia has launched legal action against Telegram for allegedly neglecting to delete extremist material, including footage of the Christchurch mosque attack, the nation’s eSafety commissioner announced.
Julie Inman‑Grant, who last year spearheaded Australia’s pioneering ban on social media for users under 16, said Telegram could face a penalty of up to A$54.6 million (≈£28 million, US$38 million) for violating its duties under the Online Safety Act.
She claimed the platform left content tied to some of the most infamous acts of extremist violence in recent history online long after being notified.
“This should worry everyone,” she said, adding “no platform is above the law.”
The announcement follows a day after Russian authorities charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with abetting terrorism, alleging the messenger was used by Ukrainian intelligence services for recruitment.
Durov was also detained and placed under formal investigation in France in 2024 for allegedly failing to adequately moderate the app to curb criminal activity. He was permitted to return home months later, while the probe continues.
Inman‑Grant noted her agency began inquiring in March 2024 about Telegram’s efforts to counter terrorist and extremist content, enduring “five very difficult months of unresponsiveness.”
Although the platform later started to engage, she said it maintained a “permissive environment” for hosting extremist material that was “very easy to find.”
“This only serves to desensitize, normalize and sometimes radicalize” users, she added, alleging the platform was “sometimes used to plan attacks.”
The BBC was unable to obtain an immediate comment from Telegram, but the company has previously denied inadequate moderation, and Durov has denied failing to cooperate with law‑enforcement regarding its content.
According to Inman‑Grant, extremist material allegedly available on Telegram included video of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting, the May 2022 Buffalo shooting in New York, and recordings of terrorist executions.
With the painful aftermath of the December attack on a Jewish festival in Bondi still fresh in Australians’ minds, she stressed that “it is more important than ever that digital platforms fulfil their obligations to protect the community.”
Inman‑Grant pointed out that Australia does not issue licences for platforms like Telegram, but noted “we could apply to the federal court and ask that the service be halted.” “We have never exercised those powers,” she said. “We will see how this unfolds and whether such action is warranted.”
The eSafety regulator also fined Telegram A$1 million in February 2025 for failing to respond promptly to inquiries about its handling of child‑abuse and extremist content on the platform.
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