Australia’s online safety regulator has taken Telegram to court, alleging the messaging platform repeatedly failed to remove terrorist material after receiving reports from users. If the regulator succeeds, the case could expose Telegram to civil penalties of up to A$54.6 million under Australia’s online safety framework.
The proceedings were initiated by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, which is responsible for enforcing the country’s digital safety laws. The regulator argues that Telegram did not respond adequately to complaints about extremist content and allowed certain posts to remain accessible despite being notified of their presence.
According to the court filing, Australian users reported 12 posts containing alleged pro-terror material between July and October 2025. The eSafety Commissioner claims three of those reports involved content already identified as terrorist material and alleges that Telegram ultimately failed to remove 10 of the reported posts or take action against the accounts responsible for publishing them.
The disputed material is said to include videos connected to some of the most widely known terrorist attacks in recent years, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings and the 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo, New York. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the case centres on whether content linked to those attacks remained available after the platform had been alerted to it.
Rather than accepting the regulator’s claims, Telegram has indicated it will challenge the case. The company said it rejects the allegations and intends to contest them in court. It also stated that combating terrorist content remains a priority, adding that thousands of extremist communities have been removed from the platform during 2026.
The legal action represents another effort by Australian authorities to hold major online platforms accountable for how they moderate harmful material. Under Australia’s regulatory regime, companies operating digital services can face substantial financial penalties if they fail to meet mandatory online safety obligations.
Telegram has grown into one of the world’s largest messaging services, reporting more than one billion monthly active users. Its encrypted communication features have made it a popular platform for news distribution, public communities and private messaging, but they have also drawn sustained scrutiny from governments seeking stronger enforcement against illegal content.