Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has launched Federal Court proceedings against Telegram, alleging the messaging platform failed to detect, deter and remove terrorist and violent extremist material after Australian users reported it.
The case follows a year-long investigation and could expose Telegram to a civil penalty of up to A$54.6 million. Telegram rejects the allegations and says it will contest them.
What Telegram is accused of failing to remove
The regulator alleges publicly accessible content included footage from the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, the May 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting, Islamic State executions and other material used for extremist propaganda and radicalisation.
Some videos reported by Australian users allegedly remained available for up to three weeks. Separately, known Christchurch and Buffalo attack footage had allegedly been uploaded nearly three months before its removal.
According to the eSafety Commissioner’s official case announcement, Telegram allegedly failed to remove connected accounts, groups and channels, prevent repeated distribution and inform some users about the outcome of their complaints.
eSafety also claims Telegram’s terms did not prohibit access to or distribution of pro-terror material across every part of the service.
Investigation began in March 2024
eSafety first approached Telegram in March 2024 to examine its measures against terrorist and violent extremist activity.
Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the agency then experienced five difficult months of non-responsiveness. Telegram later began engaging, but the regulator alleges serious weaknesses remained in its detection, complaint and enforcement systems.
The current proceedings were filed after an investigation lasting approximately one year.
Why Telegram’s platform design matters
Telegram provides private messaging, groups containing up to 200,000 members and public broadcast channels capable of reaching much larger audiences.
Removing one reported video may therefore fail to stop copies appearing through connected accounts or channels. The case could establish whether Australian law requires platforms to disrupt the wider networks distributing known terrorist material instead of responding only to individual posts.
Telegram reports having more than one billion users worldwide. eSafety says Australians visit the service an average of approximately 1.5 million times each month. That represents visits, not 1.5 million confirmed individual Australian users.
Why the case matters now
Inman Grant warned that repeated exposure to extremist material could normalise violence and contribute to the radicalisation of vulnerable people.
She pointed to Australia’s heightened security environment and ASIO’s assessment that the national terrorism threat level remains “probable.” ASIO has also warned that online radicalisation is playing a growing role in security investigations.
Communications Minister Anika Wells supported the legal action, saying Telegram must explain its alleged non-compliance to Australian users and the Federal Court.
Is Telegram being banned in Australia?
Telegram has not been banned and remains available in Australia. The present case seeks declarations, financial penalties and other orders over alleged breaches of section 146(1) of the Online Safety Act 2021.
Telegram does not need an Australian operating licence. However, eSafety can ask the Federal Court to order a service to cease operating in the country.
Inman Grant said that power has never been used. No blocking application has been announced, and the regulator will consider whether stronger action is warranted as the case develops.
Telegram rejects the allegations
A Telegram spokesperson said the platform’s anti-terrorism measures were extensive and well documented. The company confirmed that it would defend the case.
The A$54.6 million amount is the maximum possible penalty, not a fine already imposed. Telegram has not been found liable, and the court must assess the evidence before determining whether any breach occurred.
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Earlier regulatory dispute
The case is separate from an infringement notice of approximately A$958,000 issued to Telegram in February 2025. That matter concerned an alleged 160-day delay in answering eSafety questions about child exploitation and extremist material.
Telegram challenged the earlier reporting notice but discontinued that Federal Court case in November 2025. The latest proceedings directly concern its alleged failure to detect, remove and disrupt unlawful content.
What Australian users should know
The filing does not require users to close their accounts or change messaging services. The allegations concern Telegram’s corporate safety systems rather than ordinary use of the app.
The proceedings form part of wider scrutiny of how major organisations manage risks affecting Australians. Digital accountability has also received attention following the Origin Energy customer data breach.
Regulatory investigations into mortgage offset account errors at Australian banks similarly demonstrate how authorities can pursue systemic failures and demand stronger internal controls.
Telegram will now be able to file its defence and challenge eSafety’s evidence. The outcome could shape how messaging and content-sharing platforms detect known terrorist footage, handle complaints and prevent repeated uploads in Australia.
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