Telegram is being taken to court in Australia over claims the messaging platform repeatedly left videos linked to terrorist executions and mass shootings online, despite being formally told they breached the country’s online safety rules.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has launched Federal Court proceedings, alleging Telegram did not adequately restrict or remove extremist material, including content connected to the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting in the United States.
Regulator Julie Inman Grant says the case focuses on videos tied to some of the most notorious extremist attacks of recent years which, according to her office, remained available on the service long after enforcement notices had been issued.
“We allege that this content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram had been put on notice,” Inman Grant said in a statement announcing the action.
If the Federal Court finds the company has breached Australia’s industry codes and standards on online safety, Telegram could face civil penalties of up to A$54.6m (about $38m).
Alleged breaches of online safety duties
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner argues Telegram failed to meet legal obligations that require digital platforms to remove or limit access to terrorist and violent extremist content within specified timeframes.
Authorities say the material under scrutiny includes videos associated with well-known acts of extremist violence, and claim Telegram did not act fast enough once it had been warned by Australian regulators.
According to Inman Grant, the proceedings specifically cover content linked to the Christchurch and Buffalo attacks, which her office believes remained accessible on Telegram despite formal notification from Australian authorities that it violated national online safety standards.
The lawsuit forms part of a wider push by Australian regulators to enforce a relatively strict online safety framework that places clear legal responsibilities on technology companies to deal with harmful content.
Telegram vows to contest claims
Telegram has rejected the regulator’s allegations and says it will defend its moderation record.
“We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a Telegram spokesperson said.
The company maintains that it has an established programme to tackle extremism, with the spokesperson stating Telegram blocked thousands of extremist communities during 2026 alone as part of its enforcement measures.
Telegram insists it continues to remove extremist content and sanction channels, groups and other communities that break its policies, even as it disputes the Australian regulator’s case.
Durov under pressure in multiple countries
The Australian action comes at a time when Telegram founder Pavel Durov is already facing legal pressure in several jurisdictions.
Just a day before the Australian case was announced, 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 that Telegram allowed channels, bots and group chats linked to Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist organisations and extremist groups to remain active, despite claims they were being used to coordinate attacks, recruit supporters and conduct cyber fraud.
Durov has denied those accusations. Responding to the Russian investigation in February via a post on X, he called the case politically motivated and accused Moscow of trying to force Telegram to weaken user privacy protections and curb freedom of speech.
Ongoing French criminal investigation
Outside Russia, Durov is also the subject of a criminal investigation in France over claims Telegram did not do enough to prevent criminal activity on its platform.
French authorities arrested Durov near Paris in August 2024 as part of an inquiry into alleged organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and child sexual abuse material involving the platform. Although his travel restrictions were later relaxed, the criminal investigation remains open.
Over the past year, Durov has argued that making the head of a communications service personally responsible for user-generated content would set what he views as a flawed legal precedent. He has also said Telegram responds to valid legal requests through established channels and applies moderation standards in line with those of other major technology firms.
Global scrutiny of Telegram’s role
Founded by Russian-born Durov, Telegram moved its operations to Dubai in 2017 after he left Russia in 2014.
The app has since become one of the key communication tools during Russia’s war in Ukraine, used by government officials, military analysts and civilians on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides of the conflict.
At the same time, governments in several countries have intensified their examination of Telegram’s content moderation, its approach to privacy and how far it cooperates with law enforcement.
Following Durov’s detention in France in 2024, Telegram updated its terms of service and privacy policy to spell out more clearly how it responds to legally valid requests from authorities. Despite those revisions, Durov has repeatedly stated the company intends to protect user privacy while complying with lawful investigations conducted through proper legal processes.
Australia’s lawsuit now adds another front to Telegram’s regulatory challenges, with the Federal Court set to decide whether the platform broke national online safety rules by failing to remove terrorist and extremist material within the required deadlines.
