Key facts
- Australia's eSafety Commissioner is suing Telegram.
- Telegram is accused of failing to remove pro-terrorist content.
- Examples of content include videos of executions and mass shootings.
- Footage of the Christchurch and Buffalo shootings were specifically mentioned.
- Telegram could face fines up to A$54.6 million.
- The action is related to non-compliance with Australia's Online Safety Act.
- Telegram founder Pavel Durov faces similar charges in Russia.
Australia's eSafety Commissioner has launched legal proceedings against the messaging platform Telegram. The regulator alleges that Telegram has failed to adequately remove pro-terrorist content from its services, including graphic videos depicting executions and mass shootings. Specific examples cited by the commissioner include footage of the Christchurch and Buffalo attacks. This action is part of Australia's efforts to enforce its Online Safety Act, which mandates platforms to take down illegal and harmful content.
Failure to comply with the Act could lead to significant financial penalties for Telegram, with potential fines reaching up to A$54.6 million. The eSafety Commissioner's office has stated that the platform has not taken sufficient steps to address the presence of extremist material. This legal move by Australia is not isolated; Telegram and its founder, Pavel Durov, are also facing similar accusations and legal actions in Russia concerning the alleged dissemination of pro-terrorist content.