Telegram faces Australian court proceedings after eSafety alleged the platform failed to detect and remove extremist material shared by users.
Telegram, the messaging platform used by more than 1 billion people worldwide, is facing a major legal challenge in Australia over claims that it failed to stop the spread of terrorism-linked material.
Australia’s online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, launched civil penalty proceedings against Telegram in the Federal Court on Thursday, according to an official statement.
The authority alleged Telegram breached its obligations under the country’s Online Safety Act to address “pro-terror” content by failing to act on multiple user complaints.
The case adds to growing global scrutiny of Telegram’s moderation practices, following legal pressure on CEO Pavel Durov in Russia and France as governments increasingly examine how major online platforms handle harmful content.
ESafety said its year-long investigation found that Telegram failed to remove certain unlawful material after becoming aware of it, with some reported content remaining visible for up to three weeks.
The regulator also alleged that Telegram did not take sufficient steps to prevent repeated violations, including removing accounts, channels and groups used to distribute pro-terror material.
According to eSafety, Telegram also failed to detect known extremist content, including footage from the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the 2022 Buffalo mass shooting, before the material was later removed.
Related: Pavel Durov says Telegram to roll out native Gram crypto wallet
The regulator is seeking financial penalties, with violations of Australia’s online safety rules carrying potential fines of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($35.8 million).
Telegram has not issued an official statement on the Australian proceedings, but its official X account posted a video captioned “freedom of expression.”
Telegram did not immediately respond to Cointelegraph’s request to comment on this story.
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