Australia’s online safety watchdog has taken action against social media and instant messaging service Telegram after it delayed answering questions on what it’s doing to address terrorist, child abuse, and extremist content on its platform.
In March last year, eSafety issued a legally enforceable notice to Telegram, along with Google, Whatsapp, X, and Reddit, requiring each platform to report what measures it had in place to combat terrorist and extremist material on their sites.
Telegram and Reddit were also specifically asked what measures they were taking to tackle child sexual abuse material on their services.
While all other platforms responded by the deadline of May 6, 2024, Telegram failed to respond until five months later in October, earning it a fine of $957,780.
Telegram’s delay in reporting obstructed eSafety from delivering its functions under the Online Safety Act for almost 6 months, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.
“If we want accountability from the tech industry we need much greater transparency,” she said.
“These powers give us a look under the hood at just how these platforms are dealing, or not dealing, with a range of serious and egregious online harms which affect Australians.”
Inman Grant also said that the threat posed by terrorist and extremist content posted online poses a growing threat to the Australian community, with The Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) recently raising Australia’s terror threat level to “probable”.
“Research and observation have shown us that this material can normalise, desensitise and sometimes radicalise – especially the young who are viewing harmful material online that they cannot unsee,” she said.
Telegram has 28 days to respond to pay the infringement notice, request its withdrawal, or seek an extension to pay it.
If the platform chooses not to pay, it is open for eSafety to take further action, including seeking a civil penalty in the Federal Court of Australia.
Telegram has been in the public eye since its founder Pavel Durov was arrested and accused of using the messaging service for illegal activities, including alleged child exploitation material and drug trafficking.
Durov is currently being investigated by French authorities.
