Telegram discontinues its Federal Court challenge to eSafety reporting notice

eSafety

eSafety welcomes Telegram’s decision to discontinue its challenge to the validity of a reporting notice that sought information about their compliance with basic online safety expectations.  

The reporting notice sought critical information about steps Telegram had taken to address any terrorist and violent extremist and child sexual exploitation material on the platform.  

On 15 April 2025, Telegram sought judicial review in the Federal Court on the basis that it was not a ‘provider’ of the Telegram Messenger application under the Online Safety Act and was therefore not required to respond to the Reporting Notice, and that the reporting notice had not properly been ‘given’. 

eSafety is considering its options to enforce compliance with the reporting notice. 

Background 

In February 2025 eSafety gave Telegram FZ-LLC an infringement notice for almost $1 million for failing to respond to a transparency reporting notice deadline by over five months, delaying the publication of critical information about steps they have taken to address any terrorist and violent extremist material as well as child sexual exploitation material on the platform.