Australia's online safety regulator on Monday fined messaging platform Telegram about A$1 million ($640,000) 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 YouTube, X and Facebook to Telegram and Reddit, and blamed them for not doing enough to stop extremists from using live-streaming features, algorithms and recommendation systems to recruit users.
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, Grant said.
Australia's spy agency in December 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 in August in connection with alleged use of the app for illegal activities.
Durov, who is out on bail, has denied the allegations.
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," Grant said.
If Telegram choose to ignore the penalty notice, eSafety would seek a civil penalty in the court, Grant said.
($1 = 1.5625 Australian dollars)
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Austria is basking in the glow of a triumphant Eurovision Song Contest victory, but celebrations have quickly turned to practical concerns over where to host next year’s event and how to pay for it, officials said Sunday.
A strong dust and windstorm struck Peshawar on Sunday evening, leading to significant damage and disruption across the city.
Austria is basking in the glow of a triumphant Eurovision Song Contest victory, but celebrations have quickly turned to practical concerns over where to host next year’s event and how to pay for it, officials said Sunday.
A strong dust and windstorm struck Peshawar on Sunday evening, leading to significant damage and disruption across the city.
The FBI has identified 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus as the suspect behind Saturday's bombing near a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to attend the upcoming G7 finance ministers' meeting in Banff, Alberta, Canada. His goal is to shift the group’s attention toward tackling global trade imbalances and addressing unfair economic practices, according to a Treasury spokesperson.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Canada’s PM Mark Carney met in Rome after attending Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass.
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