Telegram Sues Australia Over Age Verification Law

Telegram has initiated a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Australia against the local regulator, eSafety. The messenger is challenging the legality of the "Online Safety Act 2021" and a significant fine imposed on it.

As a reminder, in February 2025, the Australian regulator fined Telegram over $600,000 for delaying the provision of information on its measures to combat terrorism and materials related to child exploitation.

Telegram's arguments in court:
• The company argues that under Australian law, it is not defined as a "provider of social media services" and is therefore not subject to the regulator's demands.
• Telegram states it never received the initial notification for the fine, claiming it was sent to an incorrect address.
• The company asserts that once it became aware of the request, it voluntarily provided the required information. The @tginfo team previously analyzed the details of that response.

Context of the dispute: The lawsuit comes as Australia prepares to introduce some of the world's strictest age verification rules, effective December 10, 2025.

• The new rules will require tech platforms (including Reddit, Facebook, and TikTok) to prevent users under 16 from accessing their services.
• Fines for non-compliance can reach A$50 million (~$33 million USD).
• Privacy advocates are concerned that to comply with these requirements, companies will have to collect sensitive biometric data or identity documents, jeopardizing the privacy of all users.

Similar age verification measures are being introduced in other countries. For example, earlier this year, Telegram launched facial age verification for users in the United Kingdom due to a new local "online safety" law.

This move is notable amid the numerous restrictions Telegram has faced this year. Unlike the situations in Vietnam, Nepal, Russia, or the UK, where the messenger has largely played a passive role, the company is now taking an active legal stance by challenging the regulator's actions in court.

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