Australia Launches Legal Action Against Telegram Over Alleged Terror-Related Content

Australia's internet safety regulator has launched legal action against messaging platform Telegram, alleging it failed to remove extremist content promoting terrorism despite repeated warnings.

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner announced on Thursday that the case stems from Telegram's alleged failure to take down videos depicting terrorist executions and mass shootings.

"This case concerns content linked to some of the most notorious acts of extremist violence in recent history, including material associated with the Christchurch and Buffalo terror attacks," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement.

"We allege that this content remained accessible on the platform long after Telegram had been notified," she added.

According to the regulator, violations of Australia's online safety codes and standards could attract civil penalties of up to A$54.6 million (about $38 million).

Telegram rejected the allegations, saying it would challenge the case in court.

"We reject these allegations and will contest them in court," a company spokesperson said, adding that Telegram has a strong record of combating terrorism and blocked thousands of extremist communities in 2026 alone.

Court documents filed by the eSafety Commissioner allege that Australian users reported 12 posts containing pro-terror content between July and October 2025, including three featuring material linked to known terrorist organisations. The regulator claims Telegram failed to remove 10 of those posts or suspend the accounts responsible.

Telegram, which says it has more than one billion monthly active users, is among the world's most widely used messaging platforms.

The company was founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, who left Russia in 2014 and relocated Telegram's headquarters to Dubai in 2017.

The platform has played a significant role in the flow of information during Russia's war in Ukraine and is widely used by officials in both Moscow and Kyiv.

Separately, Russia on Wednesday charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, alleging that Telegram was being used by Ukrainian operatives to coordinate attacks inside Russian territory.

(US$1 = A$1.4366)