Australia Sues Telegram for $38M Over ‘Pro-Terror’ Videos
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has sued Telegram in Federal Court, seeking civil penalties of up to A$54.6 million over alleged failures to remove extremist content. The regulator says Telegram allowed known pro-terror material, including content linked to the Christchurch and Buffalo attacks, and maintained terms that did not ban such content across the app. Julie Inman Grant said Telegram created a permissive environment where extremist material was easy to find and could aid radicalization or attack planning. She also said the court could, in theory, be asked to block the service in Australia. Telegram rejects the claims and says it will fight them. The case tests Australia’s 2021 anti-terror content law and follows earlier regulator action and recent legal troubles for Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
