Telegram is facing a possible penalty of up to $38 million in Australia after regulators accused the platform of failing to remove content related to terrorist activity.
Australian authorities have taken legal action against the messaging app, alleging that it did not properly address extremist material, including footage from the March 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand, where 51 people were killed.
Julie Inman-Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, said Telegram could be fined as much as $38 million for allegedly violating obligations under the country’s Online Safety Act, according to the BBC.
“This case relates to content connected to some of the most infamous extremist acts in recent history, including material associated with the Christchurch and Buffalo attacks,” Inman-Grant said in a statement reported by Reuters.
Telegram denied the allegations and said it would fight the case in court. A company representative told Reuters that the claims were rejected and pointed to the platform’s efforts to combat extremism, stating that thousands of extremist communities had been blocked in 2026.
Telegram, which is widely used by crypto communities for project discussions, trading groups, automated bots, and blockchain-based mini applications, did not immediately provide further comments to CoinDesk.
The Australian case follows legal action announced in Russia against Telegram founder Pavel Durov. Russian authorities accused Durov of enabling terrorism by allowing the platform to be used for recruitment efforts allegedly connected to Ukrainian security services. The country’s Federal Security Service (FSB) reportedly placed him on a wanted list.
Durov was also detained in France in 2024 and investigated over allegations that Telegram failed to sufficiently control illegal activity on the platform. He was later released, although the investigation is still active.
Telegram said Durov is based in Dubai and holds dual citizenship from the United Arab Emirates and France.
