Australia fines Telegram for delay in answering child abuse, terror questions
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Telegram was asked about the steps it was taking to combat child sexual abuse material on their services.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
SYDNEY - Australia’s online safety regulator on Feb 24 fined messaging platform Telegram about A$1 million (S$850,300) for its delay in answering questions about measures the app took to prevent the spread of child abuse and violent extremist material.
The e-Safety Commission in March 2024 sought responses from social media platforms
Telegram and Reddit were asked about the steps they were taking to combat child sexual abuse material on their services.
They had to respond by May, but Telegram 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, Ms Grant said.
Telegram said it had fully responded to all of eSafety’s questions last year, with no outstanding issues.
“The unfair and disproportionate penalty concerns only the response time frame, and we intend to appeal,” the company said in an email.
Australia's spy agency in December 2024 said one in five priority counter-terrorism cases investigated involved youths.
The messaging platform has been under growing scrutiny around the world since its founder Pavel Durov was placed under formal investigation in France
Mr Durov, who is out on bail, has denied the allegations.
Ms Grant said Big Tech must be transparent and put in place measures to prevent their services from being misused, as the threat posed by online extremist materials poses a growing 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 which affect Australians,” Ms Grant said.
If Telegram chooses to ignore the penalty notice, eSafety would seek a civil penalty in the court, Ms Grant said. REUTERS
