Telegram Faces Australian Lawsuit Over Alleged Terror Content Claims

Australia's online safety regulator has launched legal action against Telegram, escalating a long-running dispute over the messaging platform's handling of violent extremist material.

What the Regulator Alleges

The eSafety Commissioner filed civil penalty proceedings in Federal Court following a year-long investigation. The regulator alleges that Telegram failed to comply with systemic safety obligations under the Online Safety Act's Relevant Electronic Services Standard, including failing to remove publicly posted pro-terror material after becoming aware of it.

eSafety says Telegram failed to take down footage of the 2022 white-supremacist mass shooting in Buffalo, the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack, and Islamic State beheadings, among the most notorious extremist videos on the internet. The regulator alleges that publicly posted videos of terrorist executions remained accessible for up to three weeks after Australian users reported them to Telegram. Videos of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting were also uploaded to Telegram and remained available for nearly three months before being removed, according to the regulator.

eSafety also alleges that Telegram failed to have terms of service prohibiting users from accessing or distributing pro-terror material across all parts of the platform, and failed to inform complainants of the outcome of their complaints about unlawful material.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the regulator began urging Telegram to comply with its own policies in March 2024, but the platform had been "non-responsive" for months. Telegram could face penalties of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (about 38 million USD) if the court finds that it violated the country's online safety laws.

Telegram Pushes Back

Telegram confirmed it would challenge eSafety's allegations in court. "Telegram's extensive anti-terrorism efforts are well documented. We reject these allegations and will contest them in court," a spokesperson said.

Telegram highlighted that it had blocked 153,085 terrorist-related communities in 2026 and said it worked with the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (ETIDAL), with moderators having removed 200 million pieces of content.

The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram has long argued that it removes genuinely illegal content at scale while resisting broader demands, a stance that has put it in conflict with governments from Canberra to Brussels.

Sources:
eSafety Commissioner: Civil Penalty Proceedings Against Telegram (Official Release)
BNO News: Australia Sues Telegram Over Failure to Remove Terrorist Content
The Next Web: Australia Takes Telegram to Court Over Terrorist Content