澳大利亚eSafety委员会以平台未能删除极端主义内容为由将Telegram告上法庭。[1][2]该机构指控Telegram在被告知存在违规内容后，仍长期保留这些材料在服务上的访问权限。[2]涉及的极端主义内容包括2019年基督城清真寺枪击案、2022年布法罗超市枪击案，以及悉尼邦迪海滩反犹太主义枪击案的相关视频。[2]
Telegram面临最高5460万澳元的罚款处罚。[1][2]eSafety委员会负责人Julie Inman Grant表示，"任何平台都不在法律之上。"[1]该委员会从2024年3月开始对此事进行调查，声称在随后的五个月内遭遇平台的无反应态度。[1]此外，澳大利亚政府可向联邦法院申请令该平台在澳大利亚停止运营。[1]
Telegram否认了这些指控，并表示将在法庭进行抗辩。[2]
Australia's eSafety Commissioner has filed legal proceedings against Telegram, accusing the messaging platform of failing to remove extremist material from its service. [1][2] The alleged violations involve content related to several violent incidents, including videos from the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting and the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting. [1][2] According to source 2, content connected to the Bondi Beach antisemitic shooting was also at issue. [2]
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that "we allege that this content remained accessible on the service long after Telegram had been put on notice." [2] The investigation began in March 2024, during which the authority reported receiving no response from Telegram for five months, suggesting the platform maintained a "permissive environment" for extremist content distribution. [1] Telegram denies the allegations and has indicated it will defend itself in court. [2]
If found liable, Telegram faces a maximum penalty of AUD $54.6 million. [1][2] Australia also has the option to seek a federal court order requiring the platform to cease its service in the country. [1] Additionally, Russia has issued an international arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov on terror financing charges. [2]