Australia's eSafety Commission fined messaging platform Telegram about A$1 million for its delay in providing information on measures to prevent child abuse and violent extremist content, the regulator announced on Monday.
Australia’s online safety regulator has imposed a fine of around A$1 million ($640,000) on messaging platform Telegram over delays in responding to questions about steps taken to prevent the spread of child abuse material and violent extremist content.
In March 2024, the eSafety Commission requested information from social media platforms, including YouTube, X, Facebook, Telegram, and Reddit, regarding efforts to curb extremism and child abuse content on their platforms. While other platforms complied by May, Telegram did not respond until October.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stressed the importance of timely transparency, stating, "Timely transparency is not a voluntary requirement in Australia." She noted that Telegram’s delay obstructed eSafety’s efforts to enforce online safety measures.
Telegram defended itself, stating it had fully responded to eSafety’s questions last year and that the penalty was “unfair and disproportionate,” focusing only on the timing of the response. The company intends to appeal.
The messaging platform faces increasing scrutiny worldwide, with its founder Pavel Durov under investigation in France over alleged illegal activities facilitated by the app. Durov, currently out on bail, has denied the allegations.
Grant emphasised that greater transparency is needed from Big Tech to prevent platforms from being misused for extremist or harmful purposes. If Telegram ignores the penalty notice, eSafety may pursue a civil penalty in court.
The Australian government continues to pressure technology companies to implement stronger safety measures, citing growing risks from online extremist content, particularly involving young people.
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The European Union stands at a crossroads: to receive new members and accelerate the enlargement process in order to strengthen its role in the international arena, or to risk strategic stagnation by delaying expansion in favor of internal reform.
The remaining 130 Nigerian schoolchildren abducted in November from a Catholic school in Niger state have been released, President Bola Tinubu's spokesperson said on Sunday, following one of the country's biggest mass kidnappings of recent years.
Israel’s government has approved the creation of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that analysts say further undermines the prospects for a viable Palestinian state.
The death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has risen to 161, after forensic analysis confirmed one more victim among the charred remains at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, more than three weeks after the blaze began, authorities said on Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump on 29 December in Florida, where he is expected to present a package of military options regarding Iran, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported on Saturday.
The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.
A major power outage swept across San Francisco on Saturday, leaving up to 130,000 customers without electricity, disrupting traffic and forcing some businesses to close temporarily, officials said.
The United States has proposed a potential new format for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which could include American and European representatives, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, December 20.
Warner Bros Discovery’s board rejected Paramount Skydance’s $108.4 billion hostile bid on Wednesday (17 December), citing insufficient financing guarantees.
Ford Motor Company said on Monday it will take a $19.5 billion writedown and scrap several electric vehicle (EV) models, marking a major retreat from its battery-powered ambitions amid declining EV demand and changes under the Trump administration.
Iran has rolled out changes to how fuel is priced at the pump. The move is aimed at managing demand without triggering public anger.
U.S. stock markets closed lower at the end of the week, as investors continued to rotate out of technology shares, putting pressure on major indices.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50% to 3.75% following its two-day policy meeting, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday, 10 December.
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