United Kingdom: Office of Communications opened investigation into Telegram over alleged failure to comply with illegal content safety duties under Online Safety Act 2023

On 21 April 2026, Ofcom opened an investigation into Telegram Messenger Inc., the provider of Telegram, to investigate whether the platform is complying with its illegal content safety duties under Section 10 of the Online Safety Act 2023. Part 3 of the Online Safety Act 2023 imposes illegal content safety duties on providers of regulated user-to-user messaging services. These duties came into effect on 17 March 2025. The duties require service providers to operate proportionate systems and processes designed to prevent individuals from encountering Child Sexual Abuse Material, to mitigate and manage the risk of the service being used to facilitate priority offences including the sharing of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and to minimise the length of time for which such material remains present on the service. Ofcom has gathered evidence regarding the alleged presence and sharing of Child Sexual Abuse Material on Telegram from its own assessment of the platform and from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Ofcom will conduct the investigation in accordance with its Online Safety Enforcement Guidance and will provide an update in due course.