Australia Sues Telegram Over Alleged Pro-Terror Content

Australia’s online safety regulator has launched legal proceedings against Telegram, accusing the platform of failing to remove terrorist propaganda despite reports from users. If the court rules in the regulator’s favor, the messaging platform could face a fine of up to A$54.6 million (approximately US$38 million).

The lawsuit was filed by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner. According to the regulator, Australian users reported 12 posts containing terrorist-related material between July and October 2025. These included videos of executions carried out by extremists, as well as footage of the mass shootings in Christchurch and Buffalo. Authorities claim Telegram failed to remove 10 of the reported posts and did not block the associated accounts.

Australian authorities argue that this violates the country’s Online Safety Act, which requires digital platforms to promptly remove illegal and extremist content. The case will now be heard by the Federal Court of Australia under those provisions.

“This case involves content linked to some of the most notorious acts of extremist violence in recent history, including material related to the Christchurch and Buffalo terrorist attacks,” said eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

Telegram rejects the allegations. The company said it intends to challenge the claims in court and noted that it has removed more than 150,000 terrorism-related communities during 2026 alone.

This is not the first time the messaging platform has come under increased scrutiny from government authorities. Reuters notes that Telegram founder Pavel Durov has also recently faced new accusations from Russia. The Federal Security Service (FSB) accused him of facilitating terrorism, alleging that Telegram had been used by Ukrainian intelligence services to coordinate attacks inside Russia.

Telegram has long been at the center of debates over content moderation. The platform is regularly criticized for not removing extremist material quickly enough, while the company maintains that it actively combats terrorist networks and seeks to balance user safety with freedom of expression.