Australia Takes Telegram to Court Over Extremist Content

Australia's internet watchdog has filed civil penalty proceedings against Telegram in the Federal Court of Australia over allegations that the messaging app failed to remove violent extremist videos and pro-terror posts from its platform.

The eSafety Commissioner claims that Telegram left up footage from the Christchurch mosque shooting and the Buffalo supermarket massacre, despite authorities flagging them directly. The regulator is seeking penalties of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (approximately $38 million USD) under the Online Safety Act's relevant electronic services standard.

Telegram has rejected the claims, stating that it will contest the allegations in court and highlighting its efforts to block thousands of extremist groups, with over 150,000 terrorist-related communities restricted this year alone.

The case is seen as a test of whether national laws can force encrypted or privacy-first apps to police their broadcast channels. The eSafety Commissioner has accused Telegram of failing to cooperate fully with regulators after it was fined 1 million Australian dollars in early 2025 for not complying with reporting rules.