Australia’s online safety regulator, eSafety, files civil proceedings against the messaging platform Telegram, alleging it left terrorist and extremist material on its service after being notified to remove it. Multiple reports say the regulator claims Telegram failed to take down content related to recent mass-casualty attacks and violent extremist material, including videos associated with the Christchurch and Buffalo attacks and footage involving Islamic State (IS). The regulator also alleges Telegram disregarded takedown demands and did not adequately detect or remove extremist content uploaded by users.
Reporting also says eSafety is seeking a monetary penalty that has been described in different figures across outlets, including amounts up to A$54.6 million. eSafety frames the case as action in Australia’s Federal Court over alleged shortcomings in how Telegram responds to flagged extremist content.
Telegram denies the allegations and says it will contest the claims in court. One outlet reports that between July and October 2025 users flagged multiple instances of extremist content and that most remained active at least for a period, alongside claims that associated accounts were unblocked. The case is ongoing.
