Australia’s online safety regulator has begun legal proceedings against Telegram, alleging that the messaging service left violent extremist material accessible even after users reported it.
The BBC reported that Australian authorities were pursuing Telegram over claims that the platform failed to address pro-terror content available through its service.
Christchurch and Buffalo Material Cited
According to Reuters, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the case involved material connected to some of the most notorious acts of extremist violence in recent history, including the Christchurch and Buffalo terrorist attacks.
Grant accused Telegram of allowing the material to remain available long after the company had been formally notified about it.
The dispute centers not only on whether the posts appeared on Telegram, but also on how the company responded after Australian users brought them to its attention.
A court filing described complaints submitted by Australian Telegram users about 12 pro-terror posts between July and October 2025. The filing said three of those posts contained material already recognized as terrorist content, according to Reuters.
Regulator Says 10 Posts Remained Online
Reuters reported that Telegram allegedly failed to take down 10 of the 12 reported posts and did not suspend or block the accounts responsible for publishing the material.
The allegations could test how far Australia can hold messaging platforms responsible when harmful content is distributed through channels and accounts operated by users.
Failure to follow Australia’s applicable online codes and standards could expose Telegram to civil penalties of as much as A$54.6 million, equivalent to approximately US$38 million.
Telegram Rejects Australia’s Claims
Telegram has denied wrongdoing and signaled that it will defend itself through the legal process.
“We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a Telegram spokesperson told Reuters.
The company also shared that its work against terrorism was well documented and said it had blocked thousands of extremist communities during 2026 alone.
Telegram’s Global Reach Raises the Stakes
The case carries wider significance because Telegram is not a small or specialized service.
Telegram describes itself as having more than one billion monthly active users, making it one of the world’s most downloaded applications.
Russian-born founder Pavel Durov left Russia in 2014 and later moved himself and the company to Dubai in 2017. The platform has also become an important source of information during Russia’s war in Ukraine and is widely used by officials in both Moscow and Kyiv.
The Australian proceedings arrive as Telegram faces scrutiny from more than one government. Russia charged Durov on Wednesday with facilitating terrorist activity, alleging that Ukrainian intelligence operatives had used Telegram to organize attacks inside Russia.
Australia’s case could become an important test of whether a global messaging platform’s moderation efforts are sufficient once regulators can show that specific violent material was repeatedly reported but allegedly remained accessible.
