Australia has filed a lawsuit against Telegram in the Federal Court, accusing the messaging platform of failing to remove extremist content despite repeated user reports. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, announced the legal action on Thursday, alleging that Telegram left terrorist-related videos online after being notified by users. If the court rules against Telegram, the company could face fines of up to AUD 54.6 million under the country’s Online Safety Act.
According to the regulator, Australian users reported 12 posts containing terror-related content between July and October 2025. The complaint states that Telegram failed to remove 10 of those posts and did not suspend the accounts that shared them. The alleged content included videos linked to the Christchurch mosque attack, the Buffalo supermarket shooting, and other terrorist executions.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said: “This case concerns content linked to some of the most notorious acts of known extremist violence in recent history, including material associated with the Christchurch and Buffalo terror attacks. We allege that this content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram had been put on notice.”
Telegram denied the allegations and said it will fight the case in court. The company stated that it has strong systems to stop terrorist content and removed thousands of extremist communities during 2026.
This case marks Australia’s first Federal Court action under the country’s unlawful online content rules. Officials say the legal move demonstrates that online platforms must act quickly when users report dangerous material. The outcome could also shape how global messaging apps handle extremist content in the future. Telegram has more than one billion monthly active users worldwide and has faced growing legal pressure in other countries, adding to the challenges surrounding content moderation and online safety.