Terrorist content, huge fines and an arrest warrant: Telegram at the heart of an international storm

Australia's internet regulator announced on Thursday that it has initiated legal proceedings against the messaging platform Telegram, alleging failures in handling pro-terrorist publications. The eSafety Commissioner's office stated that it took action after Telegram failed to remove videos of executions and mass shooting events linked to terrorism.

Russia accuses Telegram founder of terrorism and issues an arrest warrant

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant noted in a statement:

"This case concerns content linked to some of the most notorious acts of extreme violence in recent history, including material related to the terrorist attacks in Christchurch and Buffalo."

She added: "We allege that this content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram was notified about it."

Failure to comply with Australia's codes and standards could result in civil penalties of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (approximately 38 million US dollars). A spokesperson for Telegram responded: "We reject these claims and will address them in court."

The spokesperson added that Telegram's anti-terrorism efforts are well-documented, and thousands of extremist communities were blocked by the platform in 2026 alone. However, in the case filed with the court, the eSafety Commission noted that Australian Telegram users complained about 12 posts containing pro-terrorist content between July and October 2025, including three that included known terrorist content.

The case added that the platform did not remove 10 of the posts or suspend the accounts that published the material. Telegram is one of the most downloaded apps in the world, with over a billion monthly active users.

The platform's founder, Russia-born Pavel Durov, left Russia in 2014 and moved with the company to Dubai in 2017. The platform has become a critical source of information in the Russia-Ukraine war and is widely used by officials in Moscow and Kyiv. On Wednesday, Russia accused Durov of facilitating terrorist activity, claiming that the app is used by Ukrainian spies to organize attacks inside Russia.