On July 30, Australia's eSafety commissioner initiated legal proceedings in the Federal Court against Telegram, alleging the messaging platform failed to identify and remove materials that promote terrorism.

The potential maximum penalty for these allegations stands at 54.6 million Australian dollars (approximately $38 million).

Allegations Against the Messaging Service

eSafety has identified six violations of the standards set for electronic services under the 2021 Online Safety Act.

According to the regulator, Telegram overlooked complaints from Australians regarding public content depicting executions, with such videos remaining accessible for up to three weeks. The platform allegedly did not block disseminators, failed to identify already known materials, allowed further distribution, did not enforce prohibitions in user agreements, and neglected to report back to complainants.

One of the claims involves recordings of the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019 and the supermarket attack in Buffalo in 2022. eSafety contends that Telegram removed these materials only three months after the tragic events occurred.

Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety commissioner, cautioned that such content could normalize extremism and facilitate the recruitment of vulnerable individuals. She referenced the Bondi terrorist attack, an assessment by ASIO regarding potential threat levels, and comments from its head about the rise in online radicalization.

The regulator also highlighted the scale of the issue, noting that Australians access Telegram approximately 1.5 million times per month, with public groups capable of hosting up to 200,000 members, and there are no restrictions on the number of subscribers to channels.

Telegram Denies the Allegations

In a statement to the Associated Press, a Telegram representative expressed that the messaging service disagrees with eSafety's claims and intends to contest them in court. The company further stated to The Epoch Times that calls for violence and the promotion of terrorism are unacceptable on its platform, and emphasized that it blocked 153,085 illegal communities over the course of 2026.

This ongoing conflict with eSafety dates back several years. In February 2025, the regulator fined Telegram 1 million Australian dollars ($640,000) for a six-month delay in responding to requests regarding measures against child and extremist content. Telegram's management deemed the fine disproportionate and claimed all issues were resolved, announcing plans to appeal.

Telegram's Challenges in Other Countries

On July 29, Russia's FSB accused Telegram founder Pavel Durov of aiding terrorism, alleging that the service's administration refused to remove channels and bots purportedly used for planning attacks.

Currently, there is no international arrest warrant for Durov from Interpol, with the FSB stating that a decision is "in the process of being made." Reports from "Kommersant" indicate that the Lefortovo Court is expected to issue a two-month absentia arrest warrant for Durov, allowing law enforcement from other nations to join in the search.

In France, an investigation against Durov has been ongoing since August 2024, following his detention at Le Bourget Airport. By early July 2026, he had been interrogated for the fourth time.

In India, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology restricted access to Telegram in June, leading Google and Apple to remove the app from their stores at the government's request. This action was prompted by channels allegedly disseminating information about leaked exam questions ahead of the NEET retake.

Additionally, Telegram was mandated to disable the editing of already published messages in the country, as regulators claimed this feature was being used to fabricate evidence of leaks.

To recall, in August 2024, a court released Durov on a €5 million bail. In August 2025, he referred to his arrest in France as a "legal absurdity."