Australia Sues Telegram Over Terrorist Content

Seeking a fine of up to AUD 54.6 million

Australia's online safety regulator has sued the encrypted messaging service Telegram in federal court for failing to address terrorist-supporting content.

The regulator is seeking a fine of up to AUD 54.6 million (approximately JPY 6 billion). Depending on the outcome of the lawsuit, there is a possibility of requesting a court order to suspend the service in the country.

Did it leave videos of mass shootings online for about three months?

The lawsuit was filed by the eSafety Commissioner, who oversees online safety in Australia, after a year-long investigation concluded that Telegram had not fulfilled its obligations under the Online Safety Act, leading to the initiation of civil penalty proceedings.

The lawsuit highlights videos of the Christchurch mosque shooting in 2019 and the supermarket shooting in Buffalo in 2022 as problematic.

Telegram is alleged to have failed to detect such known terrorist-supporting content, leaving some accessible for about three months. Furthermore, it did not delete related accounts, groups, or channels even after receiving reports and warnings from users.

The regulator also pointed out that Telegram's terms of service did not adequately prohibit terrorist-supporting content in all areas of the app. It stated that the mechanisms to prevent the repeated dissemination of illegal videos were also insufficient.

Telegram Denies Allegations and Plans to Fight in Court

Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, criticized that Telegram had continued to allow extreme content to be easily found. Such an environment could dull users' senses and normalize violence or lead to radicalization.

Telegram is reported to have over 1 billion users worldwide, with approximately 1.5 million monthly users in Australia. Since groups can have up to 200,000 members, there is concern that harmful content could spread widely in a short period.

In Australia, there is no licensing system for social media platforms. However, regulators can seek a court order to suspend services domestically. Inman Grant stated that this authority has never been used before but indicated a willingness to monitor future developments.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Telegram countered that the company's counter-terrorism measures are well-documented. They denied the current allegations and expressed their intention to contest the matter in court.

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