Australia’s online watchdog has begun civil proceedings in the Federal Court against global messaging service Telegram over pro-terrorist material displayed on its site.
eSafety alleges that Telegram, an instant messaging app, failed to detect and remove material including videos of terrorist executions and mass shootings “after becoming aware of it”.
The messaging service failed to remove the content after reports were made by Australian end-users, with material remaining available for up to three weeks, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
“No platform is above the law and this action demonstrates that eSafety will not hesitate to use the full range of its powers to protect Australians.”
Under Australia’s codes and standards, online services must take action to prevent and deter and remove unlawful material such as pro-terror content.
The civil proceedings against Telegram follow a year-long investigation into whether it complied with these rules, eSafety said.
Ms Inman Grant said this terrorist content on services such as Telegram risks causing real harm to Australians.
“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,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“We allege that this content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram had been put on notice.
“With the painful aftermath of the Bondi terror attack still fresh in the minds of all Australians, and ASIO’s assessment that Australia’s terrorism threat level remains ‘probable’, it is more important than ever that digital platforms meet their obligations to protect the community.”
She pointed to comments recently made by ASIO Director General Mike Burgess, who stated that online radicalisation was playing an increasing role in its investigations.
“This should concern all of us,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“We’re talking about the most seriously harmful online material and Australian law requires services across the online ecosystem to take responsibility for the role they play in allowing this material to be disseminated, including by enforcing their own terms of service.
“Telegram has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to prevent the hosting, sharing, amplification and monetisation of this harmful material.”
Failure to comply with Australia’s codes and standards could carry penalties of up to $54.6 million.
Telegram, founded in 2013, has more than a billion users worldwide and is visited by Australians on average 1.5 million times a month.
Telegram’s founder is billionaire Pavel Durov, who Russia’s Federal Security Service has reportedly charged with facilitating terrorist activities and had issued an international warrant for his arrest.
The FSB said the charges related to Telegram’s failure to remove material “used by Ukrainian special services and by terrorist and extremist organisations to prepare and co-ordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud operations within the Russian Federation”, according to Reuters.
Soon afterwards, Telegram’s official account on X posted an image of Mr Durov making an obscene gesture with his middle finger.
There was no other immediate comment from Mr Durov or Telegram, Reuters said.
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