Paid channel posts leave a permanent copy in the parties' transaction history
Since June 2024, creators can offer paid access to specific channel posts in exchange for Telegram Stars. When a user pays to unlock a post, a permanent copy is created in the parties' transaction history. That copy stays accessible even if the post is later deleted or either party loses access to the channel.
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As of June 2024, creators are able to offer paid access to specific channel posts by accepting
When users pay to unlock a channel post, a permanent copy is created which resides in the parties' transaction history. This copy remains accessible even if the post is later deleted or either party loses access to the channel.
Qualifications & exceptions
Section 10.2 refers back to this section for paid posts in channels.
Not stated here
The policy does not name the "parties" (the surrounding text speaks of creators and the users who pay), or say whether either can delete or request deletion of this copy.
Retention & Deletion · Company practice
Personal data you provide is kept only as long as needed to provide the Services, unless stated otherwise
Unless the policy says otherwise, the personal data you provide to Telegram is stored only for as long as it is necessary for Telegram to fulfill its obligations in providing the Services.
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Unless stated otherwise in this Privacy Policy, the personal data that you provide us will only be stored for as long as it is necessary for us to fulfill our obligations in respect of the provision of the Services.
Qualifications & exceptions
The policy states some specific periods elsewhere: security metadata for at most 12 months (5.2), deleted supergroup messages and earlier versions of edited messages for 48 hours (10.2), inactive accounts deleted after 18 months by default (10.4) and a login email kept until changed or the account is deleted (3.2).
Not stated here
No general retention period is given, and the sentence covers data "that you provide", so how it applies to data Telegram obtains or generates is not stated here.
Retention & Deletion · User right or choice
Deleting your account removes all data you store in the Telegram cloud and cannot be undone
You can delete your account on Telegram's deactivation page. Deleting it removes all messages, media, contacts and every other piece of data you store in the Telegram cloud. The action must be confirmed via your Telegram account and cannot be undone.
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If you would like to delete your account, you can do this on the
Deleting your account removes all messages, media, contacts and every other piece of data you store in the Telegram cloud. This action must be confirmed via your Telegram account and cannot be undone.
Not stated here
The policy does not say whether other data is also removed on account deletion, such as security metadata kept for up to 12 months (section 5.2), copies in other people's chat histories, or the permanent paid-post copy described in section 3.3.5.
Retention & Deletion · Company practice
In secret chats, deleting a message instructs the other person's app to delete it too
In secret chats, deleting a message always instructs the app on the other end to delete it too.
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In secret chats, deleting a message always instructs the app on the other end to delete it too.
Qualifications & exceptions
The text says the other app is instructed to delete; it does not say what happens if that app does not comply.
Retention & Deletion · Company practice
Secret-chat messages can self-destruct on a timer that starts when the message is read
Messages in secret chats can be set to self-destruct. As soon as such a message is read (two check marks appear), the countdown starts; when the timer expires, both devices in the secret chat are instructed to delete the message (photo, video, etc.). Media with short timers (less than a minute) are shown with blurred previews, and the timer is triggered when they are viewed.
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Messages in Secret Chats can be ordered to
(2 checks appear), the countdown starts. When the timer expires, both devices participating in a secret chat are instructed to delete the message (photo, video, etc.). Media with short timers (less than a minute) are shown with blurred previews. The timer is triggered when they are viewed.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to secret chats where a self-destruct timer has been set.
Retention & Deletion · User right or choice
In cloud chats you can delete for everyone within a window; otherwise a copy stays in your partner's history
In cloud chats you can choose to delete a message for all participants "within at least 48 hours" after sending (the policy's wording). Otherwise, deleting a message deletes it from your own message history, so a copy stays on the server as part of your partner's message history until your partner deletes it too, at which point it is gone forever. For one-on-one chats the version 5.5 rule in the next card applies.
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In cloud chats, you can choose to delete a message for all participants within at least 48 hours after sending. Otherwise, deleting a message will delete it from your message history. This means that a copy will stay on the server as part of your partner's message history. As soon as your partner deletes it too, it's gone forever.
Qualifications & exceptions
The policy's wording "within at least 48 hours" does not make clear whether 48 hours is a minimum or a maximum.
For one-on-one chats, a later rule (version 5.5) removes the time limit.
Retention & Deletion · User right or choice
In one-on-one chats either person can delete any messages for both sides with no time limit, or clear the whole history
As of version 5.5, any party can choose to delete any messages in one-on-one chats, both sent and received, for both sides, with no time limit. Either party can also clear the entire chat history for both parties, in which case the apps are instructed to remove all messages in that chat, regardless of how many messages either participant has retained.
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any party can choose to delete any messages in one-on-one chats, both sent and received, for both sides. There is no time limit. Any party can also opt to clear the entire chat history for both parties, in which case the apps will be instructed to remove all messages in that chat, regardless of how many messages are retained by either of the participants.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to one-on-one chats as of version 5.5; the apps are "instructed" to remove the messages.
In supergroups and channels deletion removes a message for all; deleted messages stay 48 hours for admins
In supergroups and channels, deleting a message removes it for all participants. However, deleted messages and the original versions of edited messages from supergroups are stored for 48 hours after deletion so they can be shown in the admins' Recent Actions panel. For paid posts in channels, the policy refers to section 3.3.5, which describes a permanent copy in the parties' transaction history.
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and channels, deleting a message removes it for all participants. Note that deleted messages and original versions of edited messages from supergroups are stored for 48 hours after deletion in order to be shown in admins
panel. For paid posts in channels, see
Qualifications & exceptions
The 48-hour storage is stated for deleted messages and earlier versions of edited messages from supergroups.
By default, accounts inactive for 18 months are deleted with all stored data; you can change the period
By default, if you stop using Telegram and do not come online for at least 18 months, your account is deleted along with all messages, media, contacts and every other piece of data you store in the Telegram cloud. You can change the exact period after which your inactive account self-destructs in Settings.
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By default, if you stop using Telegram and do not come online for at least 18 months, your account will be deleted along with all messages, media, contacts and every other piece of data you store in the Telegram cloud. You can go to Settings to change the exact period after which your inactive account will self-destruct.
Updated 10.4 to reflect the new default time period for Account Self-Destruction.
Qualifications & exceptions
The 18 months is a default; the change log records that section 10.4 was updated on September 29, 2024 for a new default period.