Australia has launched Federal Court action against Telegram for allegedly failing to remove pro-terror videos and mass shooting clips.
Australia’s online safety watchdog has launched a major legal battle against global messaging platform Telegram, accusing the tech giant of systemic failures to detect and remove violent terrorist material from its network. The landmark lawsuit marks a major escalation in the government’s crackdown on digital platforms that allow violent extremist content to spread unchecked. Officials allege that the messaging service repeatedly ignored user reports and left horrific videos of mass executions and mass shootings accessible to millions of users, undermining public safety and internet regulation laws.
The legal action was formally filed in the Federal Court of Australia on Thursday, July 30, 2026, following a year-long investigation by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner. The court proceedings in Sydney represent one of the toughest regulatory challenges faced by Dubai-headquartered Telegram, which boasts over one billion active monthly users worldwide and sees approximately 1.5 million visits from Australian users every month. If found liable for breaching systemic safety obligations under Australia’s Online Safety Act, the company could face severe financial penalties of up to A$54.6 million (approximately $38 million).
The decision to take Telegram to court stems from what Australian regulators describe as a failure to uphold basic digital safety standards. According to court filings, end-users reported multiple instances of violent extremist content between July and October 2025. Regulators claim Telegram allowed execution videos and archived footage of notorious violent attacks, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting and the 2022 Buffalo mass shooting in New York, to remain online for weeks or even months after being put on formal notice. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, emphasized that the platform failed to enforce its own terms of service, ban repeat-offender accounts, or inform users about the outcomes of their safety complaints.
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The prosecution reflects growing global concern over how encrypted communication channels contribute to online radicalization. Australian authorities pointed out that extremist networks increasingly rely on unmonitored online channels to recruit vulnerable individuals and spread propaganda. Australia’s Communications Minister, Anika Wells, reinforced the government’s zero-tolerance stance, emphasizing that tech companies must take responsibility for preventing the spread of dangerous material. In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Telegram stated that the company rejects the regulator’s claims and intends to contest them in court, asserting that the platform actively blocks thousands of extremist groups and communities every year.
