Australia vs Telegram: regulator demands $38 million for "promotion of terrorism"
Australia's online safety regulator (eSafety) has officially initiated a civil lawsuit against Telegram in the Federal Court. The reason — the messenger's systematic inaction in combating terrorist content. This refers to video recordings that, according to the supervisory body, remained publicly accessible on the platform despite direct complaints from users.
The case is the result of a year-long investigation. If found guilty, Telegram faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars — approximately $38 million. The regulator insists that the company violated local safety standards by failing to promptly remove materials related to the promotion of violence.
Core of the allegations: from Christchurch to Buffalo
The key claims concern two high-profile incidents. First, recordings of the terrorist attack on mosques in Christchurch in 2019. Second, video of the mass shooting in Buffalo in 2022. According to eSafety, these materials remained on Telegram for nearly three months after Australian users complained about them.
Moreover, the regulator claims that Telegram's rules prohibit the promotion of terrorism only in certain sections of the app, but not in all. The platform also allegedly failed to inform users about the results of reviewing their complaints.
"The case concerns content related to the most notorious cases of extremist violence in recent years. We allege that this content remained available on the platform even after Telegram was notified," said eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.
Telegram's position and the context of pressure
The company categorically rejects the allegations. Telegram representatives emphasize that their efforts to counter terrorism are well documented, and they intend to contest the lawsuit in court. Notably, the messenger, which is used about 1.5 million times per month in Australia, has already faced legal claims in other jurisdictions.
It is worth recalling that in Russia, accusations of aiding terrorist activities were brought against Telegram founder Pavel Durov. Durov himself linked them to the platform's refusal to comply with demands for mass surveillance and censorship. In 2024, Durov was detained in France but released on bail, and in 2025 he left the country, relocating to Dubai.
My take: This Australian lawsuit is another wake-up call for the entire crypto and tech industry. Regulators around the world are finding new levers of pressure on decentralized platforms. If eSafety wins the case, it will create a dangerous precedent allowing messengers to be fined for content they physically cannot moderate in full. For Telegram, which positions itself as a bastion of free speech, this is an existential challenge: the balance between privacy and state demands is becoming increasingly fragile.