In brief
Australia’s eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman‑Grant, has launched legal action against Telegram for allegedly retaining pro‑terror content, including footage from the Canterbury Christchurch shooting. The claims could see the messenger app fined up to A$54.6 million (US$38 million) if found in breach of the Online Safety Act. Inman‑Grant points to Telegram’s delayed response and continued permissive environment as evidence of negligence. The case follows similar allegations against Telegram’s founder by Russia and ongoing investigations in France. The lawsuit underscores the Australian government’s push to hold digital platforms accountable for extremist material.
The Australian eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman‑Grant, has taken Telegram to court over allegations that the versatile messaging app failed to delete extremist videos, including footage of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting. The lawsuit could see Telegram fined up to A$54.6 million (US$38 million) for breaching safety obligations under the Online Safety Act.
Inman‑Grant said Telegram stored videos linked to notorious acts of terrorism well after receiving notice that the content breached Australian law. She urged that no platform be above the law, emphasizing the danger the content posed to Australian communities.
The legal move follows Russia’s charge of Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, with facilitating terrorism, and his still-ongoing investigation in France for alleged failings to moderate extremist content.
Inman‑Grant’s agency began questioning Telegram’s approach to condemn extremist content in March 2024, reporting five months of unresponsiveness that later turned into limited engagement, which still left extremist content easily accessible. The policy, she argued, could desensitise users and even aid in the planning of attacks.
Telegram has denied allegations of insufficient moderation and has previously denied failing to cooperate with law enforcement regarding its content management. The eSafety regulator also fined the platform A$1 million in February 2025 for slow response to audit questions on child abuse and extremist content.
With the painful memory of a December Bondi attack still fresh, Inman‑Grant stressed Australia’s need to enforce platform cooperation. She noted that while Australia does not issue licenses for platforms like Telegram, courts could order the service to cease operations if necessary.
