A $1 million fine imposed by Australia’s online safety regulator is “unfair and disproportionate”, according to online messaging platform Telegram.

In March 2024, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant gave Telegram, WhatsApp, Google, Reddit and X legally enforceable transparency reporting notices.

The notices required each platform to answer questions about measures they had in place to tackle terrorist and extremist material on their sites.

Telegram and Reddit were also specifically asked about the measures they were taking to combat child sexual abuse material, a topic other services had already been asked about in previous reporting notices.

All other platforms engaged by the May 2024 deadline, but Telegram provided a response five months later and was in turn fined $957,780. (emphasis added)