Australia Sues Telegram, Alleging Failure to Remove Terrorism Content
Telegram is facing potential fines of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (approximately Rp 570 billion) after Australian regulators determined the platform failed to remove terrorist content despite receiving warnings.
Australia’s online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, has commenced legal proceedings against Telegram. The regulator alleges that the messaging platform has continued to allow terrorist execution videos, mass shootings, and other extremist materials to remain available on the service. Much of the disputed content relates to terrorist attacks, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand and the 2022 supermarket shooting in Buffalo, USA.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that such content allegedly remained accessible even after Telegram had been notified of its existence. According to eSafety, Telegram failed to remove pro-terrorism content reported between July and October 2025 and failed to suspend accounts disseminating such material. “This content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram was notified,” Grant said in a statement.
Grant noted that these legal steps are being taken as Australia faces an increasingly concerning security situation, referencing the Bondi tragedy, an antisemitic mass shooting at a Sydney beach that killed 15 people last year. Telegram has denied the allegations and stated it will contest the case in court, asserting that the company blocked thousands of extremist communities in 2026.
Australia’s legal action follows a day after Russia accused Telegram founder Pavel Durov of facilitating terrorist activities. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has issued an international arrest warrant for Durov, claiming the platform is being used by Ukrainian parties to organise attacks within Russian territory. Durov, a Russian-born billionaire currently residing in Dubai, co-founded Telegram with his brother Nikolai in 2013. The application now boasts over one billion monthly active users.