Telethon

Telethon is an Australian charitable fundraising organisation that designs and runs events aimed at generating financial support for community causes. Its primary activity centres on organizing fundraising appeals that invite the public to donate during set periods. The organisation uses various communication channels to reach potential donors across the country. By focusing on charitable giving, Telethon seeks to address needs that are not fully covered by government or private sector funding. Its efforts are typically aligned with specific health, welfare or community initiatives that benefit Australian residents.

The organisation’s scope is confined to Australia, with its headquarters located in the country. While exact figures on the size of its donor base or annual revenue are not disclosed in the available sources, Telethon has been noted for achieving record fundraising totals in certain years. A notable aspect of its operations is the reliance on social media channels to promote events and engage supporters. In October 2014, the Instagram account associated with one of its fundraising events was hijacked by an unknown individual who demanded a ransom, deleted content and caused a loss of over a thousand followers. The incident, attributed to weak password protection and the absence of two‑factor authentication, prompted Telethon to strengthen its credential policies and implement additional security measures to prevent future compromises.