CANBERRA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's online safety regulator has launched legal action against messaging platform Telegram over alleged failures to remove terror content.
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner said on Thursday it has commenced civil proceedings in the Federal Court against Telegram, accusing the platform of failing to comply with safety obligations under Australian online safety laws.
eSafety will allege in court that Telegram failed to remove publicly posted pro-terror material, including videos of terrorist executions, after Australian users reported the content.
It said that videos of the 2019 Christchurch mosque mass shooting and of a 2022 mass shooting in the U.S. city of Buffalo remained available on Telegram for nearly three months before being removed.
Digital platforms that fail to comply with Australia's codes and standards for online safety face fines worth up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (38 million U.S. dollars).
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement that it is "more important than ever" for digital platforms to protect the community following the Bondi terror attack in December.
"This should concern all of us. We're talking about the most seriously harmful online material and Australian law requires services across the online ecosystem to take responsibility for the role they play in allowing this material to be disseminated," she said.
"No platform is above the law, and this action demonstrates that eSafety will not hesitate to use the full range of its powers to protect Australians."
Minister for Communications Anika Wells said that Australia has no tolerance for technology companies that fail to prevent, detect, and remove pro-terror material. ■
