On Monday, Australia’s online safety regulator fined messaging platform Telegram about 1 million Australian dollars ($640,000) for failing to respond on time to an inquiry into measures preventing the spread of child abuse and extremist content.
What Happened: The eSafety Commission had requested information from Telegram and Reddit about their efforts in combating child sexual abuse material and extremist activities.
Telegram was expected to respond by May but only submitted its answers in October, reported Reuters.
"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.
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She added that Telegram's delay obstructed the regulator's ability to enforce online safety measures.
Telegram defended itself, stating it had fully answered all of eSafety's questions last year. "The unfair and disproportionate penalty concerns only the response timeframe, and we intend to appeal," the company told the publication.
Telegram did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.
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Why It Matters: Last year, Telegram faced massive global scrutiny, when its founder Pavel Durov came under investigation in France for alleged illegal activity on the platform.
Durov has denied the allegations. He is out on bail currently.
A UN report in October 2024 also identified Telegram as a major platform for criminal networks in Southeast Asia, involved in trading hacked data and selling cybercrime tools.
South Korean authorities have also been investigating the app for its alleged role in spreading explicit deepfake content.
The Australian government was also considering banning social media for children due to health concerns.
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