Australia Takes Telegram to Court Over Terrorist Content
July 30, 2026 – 7:21 am
Australia’s online safety regulator has taken Telegram to court, alleging the messaging app left terrorist and violent extremist videos on its platform after being told to remove them.
The Case
The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, filed civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court on 30 July, seeking up to A$54.6 million, one of the most aggressive actions yet against the app over illegal content.
The material at issue includes footage of the 2022 Buffalo mass shooting, the 2019 Christchurch mosque attack, and Islamic State beheadings—notorious extremist videos widely available online.
The regulator claims Telegram ignored repeated requests to take down this content, alleging a pattern of "a permissive hosting environment for terrorist content."
Legal Basis
Australia’s Online Safety Act, passed in 2021, requires platforms to remove illegal and pro-terrorism material once notified. This is the same statute behind similar actions taken against Telegram elsewhere, including by Ofcom in Britain.
Telegram’s Response
Telegram denies the allegations and plans to contest them in court. It argues it removes genuinely illegal content at scale while resisting broader demands, a stance that has put it in conflict with governments globally. The company also points to its wider anti-terrorism work and blocks over 150,000 "terrorist-related communities" annually.
Context
This isn’t the first time eSafety has clashed with Telegram. The regulator previously fined the company for delays in answering questions about how it handles child abuse and terror material. This action foreshadowed the current legal challenge.
Australia has emerged as a leader in regulating online platforms, taking on both X and Telegram over content orders and arming itself with tougher powers and larger fines.