Telegram accused of leaving terrorist content online in Australian lawsuit

Telegram has faced legal action in Australia after the country’s online safety regulator accused the messaging platform of failing to remove terrorist and extremist content despite repeated notices.

According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the regulator has commenced Federal Court proceedings against Telegram, alleging the platform left videos linked to terrorist executions and mass shootings accessible even after it had been formally notified that the material breached Australia’s online safety rules.

The case centers on content associated with some of the most well-known extremist attacks in recent years, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting in the United States. Australia’s regulator alleges the material remained available to users for an extended period after enforcement notices had been issued.

“We allege that this content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram had been put on notice,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement announcing the legal action.

If the court finds Telegram breached Australia’s industry codes and standards, the company could face civil penalties of up to A$54.6 million, or about $38 million.

Australia says Telegram failed to remove extremist material

Filed by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner, the lawsuit accuses Telegram of failing to comply with obligations requiring online platforms to remove or restrict access to terrorist and violent extremist content.

According to the regulator, the disputed material includes videos connected to some of the most notorious acts of extremist violence in recent history. Authorities contend that the platform did not act quickly enough after being alerted to the content.

Julie Inman Grant said the case concerns material linked to the Christchurch and Buffalo attacks, arguing that the platform continued to make the content available despite receiving notice from Australian authorities.

The lawsuit represents another attempt by Australian regulators to enforce the country’s online safety framework, which places legal obligations on digital platforms to address harmful content within prescribed timeframes.

Telegram rejects allegations and plans court challenge

Telegram has denied the allegations and said it will defend its moderation practices in court.

“We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a Telegram spokesperson said in response to requests for comment.

The spokesperson added that the company’s efforts to combat terrorism are well established, saying Telegram blocked thousands of extremist communities during 2026 alone as part of its enforcement program.

While rejecting Australia’s claims, Telegram maintained that it continues to remove extremist content and take action against communities that violate its policies.

Pavel Durov faces mounting legal pressure in multiple countries

The Australian proceedings arrive as Telegram founder Pavel Durov continues to face legal scrutiny in more than one jurisdiction.

Only a day earlier, Russia’s Federal Security Service charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activity and placed him on an international wanted list, according to Russian news agency Interfax. Russian authorities allege Telegram allowed channels, bots and group chats linked to Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist organizations and extremist groups to remain active despite claims they were used to coordinate attacks, recruit members and conduct cyber fraud.

Durov has rejected those accusations. Responding to the Russian investigation in February through a post on X, he described the case as politically motivated and accused Moscow of attempting to pressure Telegram into weakening user privacy and limiting freedom of speech.

Outside Russia, Durov also remains under criminal investigation in France over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately prevent criminal activity on the platform.

French authorities arrested Durov near Paris in August 2024 while investigating claims involving organized crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and child sexual abuse material. Although French officials later eased his travel restrictions, the criminal case remains open.

Responding to the French investigation over the past year, Durov argued that holding the head of a communications platform personally liable for content created by users would establish an unsound legal precedent. He also said Telegram responds to valid legal requests through established procedures and applies moderation standards comparable to other major technology companies.

Telegram’s role keeps attracting government scrutiny

Founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, Telegram relocated its operations to Dubai in 2017 after he left Russia in 2014.

The platform has become one of the primary communication channels used during Russia’s war in Ukraine, serving government officials, military observers and civilians on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides of the conflict.

At the same time, governments in several countries have intensified scrutiny of Telegram’s approach to content moderation, privacy and cooperation with law enforcement.

Following Durov’s detention in France in 2024, Telegram introduced updates to its terms of service and privacy policy that clarified how it responds to legally valid requests from authorities. Even after those changes, Durov has repeatedly said the company intends to protect user privacy while cooperating with lawful investigations carried out through appropriate legal channels.

Australia’s lawsuit now adds another regulatory challenge for Telegram, with the Federal Court set to determine whether the platform breached the country’s online safety standards by failing to remove terrorist and extremist material within the required time.