Austria seeks stricter EU oversight of Telegram

Austria on Tuesday urged the EU to impose stricter oversight on Telegram, arguing that the messaging service has become a major online space for extremist networks and disinformation campaigns.

“We must no longer stand by while disinformation campaigns and extremist networks spread unhindered on Telegram,” said Joerg Leichtfried, Austria’s state secretary responsible for security and intelligence agencies.

Leichtfried said platforms of comparable size were already required to comply with “clear requirements and strict rules,” adding that “Telegram must not be an exception.”

According to Austrian public broadcaster ORF, Vienna wants Telegram to be classified as a “Very Large Online Platform” (VLOP) under the European Union’s Digital Services Act. Such a designation would subject the company to significantly stricter obligations to assess and mitigate systemic risks involving fundamental rights and public security.

“The European Commission must transparently and independently examine Telegram’s actual users and ensure that closed groups are also appropriately taken into account in the assessment,” Leichtfried said.

The European Commission is currently examining Telegram’s operations in Europe to determine whether the messaging service has more than 45 million monthly users in the EU — the threshold that triggers the bloc’s strictest online safety obligations.