Ofcom Opens Investigation Into Telegram Over Child Safety Concerns Under Online Safety Act

Gate News message, April 21 — UK regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation into Telegram following allegations of child sexual abuse material on the messaging platform, according to a statement released on Tuesday. The probe examines whether Telegram met its legal duty under the Online Safety Act to assess risks and take steps to reduce harm from such content.

Ofcom initiated the investigation after receiving evidence from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection about the alleged presence and sharing of abuse material on Telegram. Under the Online Safety Act, user-to-user messaging services must assess the risk of such material appearing on their platforms and take appropriate protective measures. Ofcom simultaneously opened separate investigations into Teen Chat and Chat Avenue, focusing on whether these services provided sufficient protection for British children from grooming by predators.

Telegram denied the accusations, stating: “Telegram categorically denies Ofcom’s accusations. Since 2018, Telegram has virtually eliminated the public spread of child sexual abuse material on its platform through world-class detection algorithms and co-operation with NGOs.” CEO Pavel Durov expressed concern that the probe could be part of a broader attack on platforms defending free speech and privacy rights. Meanwhile, a Moscow court fined Telegram 7 million rubles (approximately $93,000) for failing to remove content containing calls for extremist activity, bringing Telegram’s total unpaid fines in Russia to nearly 50 million rubles (approximately $666,000). Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, has previously stated it would slow down Telegram for failing to comply with approximately 150,000 requests to remove banned content.