The Australian Cyber Security Agency (CSSA) has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the messaging app Telegram, accusing the company of facilitating access to terrorist and extremist material.
“Telegram failed to identify, remove, and block access to terrorist-supporting material. It failed to do so despite being aware of the problem, including from Australian users,” said the agency’s head, Julie Inman-Grant.
This includes videos depicting beheadings by Islamic State militants, the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre, and the 2022 Buffalo shooting.
According to Inman-Grant, the first formal complaint to the company was filed in early 2024, but it took five months for a response. If the court finds Telegram guilty, it faces a fine of 54.6 million Australian dollars – about 38 million US dollars.