Australia sues Telegram for $38M over terrorist content
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Australia’s online safety regulator has initiated legal action against Telegram. The eSafety Commissioner alleges the platform failed to remove terrorist execution, mass shooting, and other extremist material linked to events such as the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket attack, even after user reports.
The action puts Telegram at risk of a potential AU$54.6 million (about US$38 million) penalty. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that the content remained accessible long after the platform had been put on notice. Telegram denies the allegations, noting it has blocked thousands of extremist communities in 2026, and says it will contest the case.
This move comes a day after Russia charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with ‘facilitating terrorist activity’ and issued an international arrest warrant.