Ofcom investigates Telegram over child sexual abuse material under Online Safety Act

The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a formal investigation into Telegram over allegations that the messaging platform is failing to adequately protect users from child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This marks Ofcom's most significant enforcement action against a major messaging platform to date under the Online Safety Act 2023.

The investigation examines whether Telegram has met its legal duties to assess and mitigate risks of UK users encountering illegal content, particularly CSAM, and to remove such material swiftly when identified. The probe was triggered after the Canadian Centre for Child Protection shared evidence suggesting that CSAM was present on the platform, alongside concerns about the platform being used for grooming children. Ofcom has stated it engaged with Telegram but remained unsatisfied with the company's safety measures.