By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Australia’s online safety regulator has fined messaging platform Telegram approximately A$1 million ($640,000) for its delay in answering questions about measures it has taken to prevent the spread of child abuse and violent extremist material.
In March 2024, the eSafety Commission sought responses from social media platforms YouTube, X, Facebook, Telegram, and Reddit, criticising them for not doing enough to prevent extremists from using live-streaming features, algorithms, and recommendation systems to recruit users.
Telegram and Reddit were specifically asked about the steps they were taking to combat child sexual abuse material on their services.
While the other social media platforms responded by May, Telegram only submitted its response in October.
“Timely transparency is not a voluntary requirement in Australia, and this action reinforces the importance of all companies complying with Australian law,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement.
Telegram’s delay in providing information obstructed eSafety from implementing its online safety measures, Grant added.
In December, Australia’s spy agency reported that one in five priority counter-terrorism cases under investigation involved youths.
The messaging platform has faced growing scrutiny globally since its founder, Pavel Durov, was placed under formal investigation in France in August over alleged use of the app for illegal activities.
Durov, who is out on bail, has denied the allegations.
Grant stressed that Big Tech companies must be transparent and implement safeguards to prevent their services from being exploited, as the spread of online extremist material poses a significant risk.
“If we want accountability from the tech industry, we need much greater transparency. 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 affecting Australians,” Grant said.
