Australia's online safety regulator has commenced civil penalty proceedings against Telegram in the Federal Court, alleging the messaging platform failed to detect and remove pro-terror material including videos of terrorist executions and mass shootings.
The eSafety Commissioner's action, filed this week after a year-long investigation, alleges Telegram breached systemic safety obligations under Australia's Online Safety Act by leaving publicly posted unlawful material accessible after being put on notice, according to the regulator's statement.
Specifically, eSafety alleges Telegram failed to remove flagged material, including videos of terrorist executions, after reports from Australian end-users, with some content remaining live for up to three weeks.
The regulator also alleges the platform failed to detect known pro-terror material such as the live-streamed 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting and the May 2022 Buffalo mass shooting, with that content having been uploaded nearly three months before its removal.
Australia’s eSafety further alleges that Telegram failed to remove the relevant accounts, channels, and groups to minimize future breaches, failed to maintain terms of service prohibiting pro-terror material across all parts of the platform, and failed to inform complainants of the outcome of their reports.
