Telegram fined nearly $1m after failing to answer questions about measures to address child exploitation, terrorist and extremist material on time

Popular encrypted messaging app Telegram has been fined just under $1m after failing to answer questions about measures to address child exploitation, terrorist and violent extremist material on the platform for more than five months. The nation’s eSafety regulator issued Telegram, Meta, WhatsApp, Google, Reddit and X with questions about their compliance with the Basic Online Safety Expectations in March 2024. which included what measures were in place to combat terrorist and violent extremist material on the platforms. Questions also included what measures were brought in to prevent the live streaming of such content, while Telegram and Reddit were also specifically asked about steps to tackle child sexual abuse material that the other platforms were asked previously. The services were given until May 6 last year to answer the questions; however, Telegram failed to respond for more than five months until October 13. eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the delay “obstructed eSafety from delivering its functions under the Online Safety Act for almost half a year”, with a $957,780 infringement notice handed down as a result. Ms Inman Grant said information on how platforms were both failing and succeeding at combating the content was ”vital”, particularly after the nation’s terror threat was raised 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,” Ms Inman Grant said. “Surfacing how and where some of these platforms might be failing – and also succeeding – in tackling this content is vital to protect the community and raise safety standards across the industry, especially where this most abhorrent of content is concerned.” She said there needed to be “greater transparency” if there was to be accountability from the tech industry. “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.” A Telegram statement called the notice “unfair and disproportionate”. “Telegram fully responded to all of eSafety’s questions last year, with no outstanding issues,” the statement read. “The unfair and disproportionate penalty concerns only the response timeframe, and we intend to appeal.” Telegram now has 28 days to either pay the notice, seek an extension for payment or request the notice be withdrawn. However the eSafety commissioner could seek a civil penalty in the Federal Court of Australia should Telegram fail to pay the notice. The information given by Telegram, Meta, WhatsApp, Google and Reddit will be summarised in a report set to be released soon. However, responses from X will not be included pending the outcome of an Administrative Review Tribunal.