The investigation will examine whether Telegram has failed, or is failing, to comply with its duties in relation to illegal content. Ofcom received evidence from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection of users sharing child sex abuse material on Telegram. The Online Safety Act requires user-to-user services to take steps to proactively screen for harmful material and remove it, a legal obligation that forms the basis of this regulatory action.
Telegram categorically denies Ofcom's accusations. The company claims it has virtually eliminated the public spread of child sexual abuse material on its platform since 2018 through detection algorithms and cooperation with NGOs. Telegram is concerned the investigation may be part of a broader attack on platforms defending freedom of speech and privacy, suggesting regulatory overreach.
Child protection organizations have welcomed the investigation. The NSPCC welcomes Ofcom's action and investigation into Telegram. The Internet Watch Foundation calls for Telegram to toughen safeguarding measures and adopt a zero-tolerance approach. The probe was also welcomed by the Internet Watch Foundation, which works to identify and remove CSAM online, including on Telegram, highlighting the platform's ongoing challenges.
Broader concerns exist about Telegram's platform being used for harmful activities beyond child exploitation. Campaigners say Telegram's light oversight has made it a tool for drug dealers and far-right groups. Metro uncovered a Telegram group where users ask others to use AI tools to create non-consensual sexual content. Telegram's terms of service forbid the creation of nonconsensual pornography. The group remains active with recent posts including requests for explicit AI-edited images, indicating potential enforcement gaps.
Potential consequences for Telegram under the Online Safety Act include substantial fines. Failure to comply with the Online Safety Act can result in fines of up to £18 million. Fines could be up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater. In serious cases, Ofcom can seek a court order to block access to the service in the UK, a measure reserved for severe non-compliance.
The investigation is part of a wider crackdown from Ofcom on services it suspects could be flouting the UK's sweeping online safety requirements. Ofcom also opened investigations into Teen Chat and Chat Avenue for risks related to illegal content and grooming, signaling a broader regulatory push to enforce the new law.
Background on the scale of child sexual abuse material problems in the UK highlights the urgency of the issue. Recent NSPCC research revealed around 100 child sexual abuse image offences are being recorded by police every day, underscoring the pervasive nature of this crime.
Key unknowns remain about the evidence against Telegram and investigation criteria. The specific evidence the Canadian Centre for Child Protection provided to Ofcom regarding child sexual abuse material on Telegram has not been disclosed. The exact criteria or thresholds that Ofcom will use to determine if Telegram has failed to comply with the Online Safety Act are also unclear, leaving room for speculation.
Uncertainties also exist about the extent of AI-generated non-consensual content on Telegram. How widespread the use of AI tools to create non-consensual sexual content on Telegram is, as uncovered by Metro, remains unknown, raising questions about the platform's ability to police emerging threats.
Questions linger about specific safeguarding recommendations and how other investigations will proceed. What specific safeguarding measures the IWF recommends Telegram implement, especially for end-to-end encrypted chats, is not detailed in public statements. How Ofcom's investigations into Teen Chat and Chat Avenue will proceed, and what potential outcomes are expected, also remain uncertain, reflecting the evolving nature of online safety enforcement.