Your screen name, profile pictures and username are always public
The screen name you choose, your profile pictures and your username (if you set one) are always public on Telegram, so your contacts and other people can reach and recognize you. Telegram says it does not want to know your real name, gender, age or likes, and that your screen name need not be your real name. People who have you in their contacts see the name they saved for you rather than your screen name. Developers of bots you interact with can also receive this public account data.
Supporting quotations
the screen name you choose, your profile pictures, and your
(should you choose to set one) on Telegram are always public. We don't want to know your real name, gender, age or what you like.
We do not require your screen name to be your real name.
users who have you in their contacts will see you by the name they saved and not by your screen name
the developers of an automated user (bot) can get your public account data (see section 3.1 above): your screen name, username and profile picture(s).
Qualifications & exceptions
The bot statement comes from section 6.3 and applies when you interact with a bot in the ways listed in section 6.2.
Not stated here
"Public" is not defined further, for example whether people who are not Telegram users can see these details.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
A Telegram Business subscriber's optional location and opening hours are always public
Telegram Business subscribers can add a fixed location and a list of opening hours to their profile so clients can find and engage with their business. If you choose to add them, this information is always public.
Supporting quotations
subscribers can add a fixed location and a list of opening hours to their profile, to help clients identify and engage with their business more efficiently on Telegram. If you choose to add it to your profile, this information is always public.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies only to Telegram Business subscribers who choose to add this information.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Everything you post in public channels and groups is accessible to everyone
Telegram supports public channels and public groups. They are cloud chats, and Telegram says data posted there is encrypted in storage and in transit, but everything you post in public is accessible to everyone.
Supporting quotations
In addition to private messages, Telegram also supports public channels and public groups. All public chats are cloud chats (see section 3.3.1 above).
everything you post in public will be accessible to everyone.
Qualifications & exceptions
Encryption in storage and in transit does not limit who can read what you post publicly.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company commitment
Ad-serving data rests on legitimate interest and cannot be disclosed to third parties, advertisers included
Telegram says non-intrusive advertising helps sustain its Services, that the data relied on to serve ads is processed on the basis of its legitimate interest in delivering effective and innovative Services, and that this data cannot be disclosed to any third parties, advertisers included.
Supporting quotations
Non-intrusive advertising models help us sustain our Services. The data relied upon to serve ads is processed on the basis of Telegram’s legitimate interest of delivering effective and innovative Services to you. This data cannot be disclosed to any third parties – advertisers included.
Qualifications & exceptions
The following paragraphs of section 5.6.1 name the data used: content language, an approximate country and city, and large public channels you follow.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Interacting with third-party bots sends some of your data to the bot developers
Telegram's API lets third-party developers create bots, which look like special Telegram users. You can talk to them from your chat list, add them to groups or use the special "inline" interface. By doing any of these things you are sending some of your data to the respective third-party bot developers.
Supporting quotations
Telegram has an API that allows third-party developers to create
Bots are apps that look like special Telegram users: you can talk to them from your chat list, add them to groups or use a special
interface to access their features. By performing any of these actions, you will be sending some of your data to the respective third-party bot developers.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Messaging bots, inline use, shared groups, buttons, payments and join requests can all send data to bot developers
The policy lists the ways you can send data to bot developers: sending messages to a bot; using an inline bot; participating in a group with a bot; pressing buttons in messages a bot sent; paying for goods and services via bots (see section 7); sending a join request to a group or channel; using Telegram Business features that connect a chatbot to your account; and opening a chat with a Telegram Business account controlled by a chatbot (see section 6.5).
Supporting quotations
You can send data to bot developers when you interact with their bots in one of these ways:
By sending messages to a bot.
By using an [inline bot](https://telegram.org/blog/inline-bots).
By participating in a group with a bot.
By pressing buttons in messages sent by a bot.
By paying for goods and services via bots (see section 7 below).
By sending a [join request](https://telegram.org/blog/shared-media-scrolling-calendar-join-requests-and-more#join-requests-for-groups-and-channels) to a group or channel.
By using Telegram Business features that connect a chatbot to your account.
By opening a chat with a Telegram Business account controlled by a chatbot (see section 6.5 below).
Qualifications & exceptions
Which data a bot receives in each case is described in section 6.3.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Bots can receive your public profile data and interface language, and may know you share a group with them
In any of these cases the developer of a bot can get your public account data: your screen name, username and profile picture(s). Bots you interact with, including through chats managed by Telegram Business chatbots, may also receive your interface language based on your app or operating system language settings, and may keep receiving your previous language for some time after you change settings. If a bot is a member of the same group as you, it may know you are a member.
Supporting quotations
In any of the above cases, the developers of an automated user (bot) can get your public account data (see section 3.1 above): your screen name, username and profile picture(s).
(should you choose to set one) on Telegram are always public.
To facilitate text localization, bots you interact with (including via chats managed by Telegram Business Chatbots), may receive your interface language based on your app or operating system language settings. Note that if you update your language settings, bots may continue to receive your previous language for some time.
If the bot is a member of the same group with you, it may know you are a member.
Qualifications & exceptions
Receiving the interface language is described for text localization.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Bots get your messages and inline queries and, with group access, can see everything said in the group
Bots get the messages you send them. When you start a message with an inline bot's username, everything you type becomes a query sent to that bot so it can provide its service, and Telegram says it warns you about this the first time you use an inline bot. Bots added to groups can work with access to the group's messages, in which case they can see everything that happens in the group, or without access; the interface clearly shows whether a bot has access to messages in groups.
Supporting quotations
Bots can also receive the following data when you interact with them.
Bots will obviously get your messages when you send them something.
the interface transforms so that everything you type becomes a query to that bot. This query is sent to the bot so that it can provide its service. We will warn you about this the first time you use an inline bot.
Bots added to groups can operate in two modes: with access to messages in the group or
If the bot has access to messages, it can see everything that happens in the group. The interface clearly shows whether or not a bot has access to messages in groups.
Qualifications & exceptions
The warning applies the first time you use an inline bot.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Messaging a Telegram Business user may mean talking to a bot, which receives basic data about you
People have been able to communicate with bots, including bots run by businesses, since 2015. With Telegram Business, a Business user can connect a chatbot to their account, so if you message that user you may, depending on their settings, effectively be communicating with a bot, which receives the basic data about you described in section 6.3.
Supporting quotations
Telegram users have been able to communicate with bots, including bots run by businesses, since 2015. With the introduction of Telegram Business, users can also seamlessly interface with bots in private chats with Telegram Business users who have connected a chatbot to their account.
If you message a Business user who connected a chatbot to their account, depending on their settings, you may be effectively communicating with a bot, and it will receive basic data about you as detailed in section 6.3 above.
Qualifications & exceptions
Whether a bot answers depends on the Business user's settings.
Not stated here
The text does not say whether you are told in the chat that a bot is replying.
Sharing & Disclosure · Permission or license
A third-party bot you connect via Telegram Business can read the private chats you allow and act for you
Telegram Business subscribers can connect third-party bots to their account to help automatically process and respond to messages. A connected bot has access to basic information about your account (section 6.3) and can message you privately. It also has access to all messages, media and files in the private chats you allow it to manage, and, if you give it permission and only in the private chats assigned to it, it can send messages and perform other actions on your behalf.
Supporting quotations
subscribers can connect third-party bots to their Telegram account, to help them automatically process and respond to messages from users.
If you connect a third-party bot to your account via Telegram Business, the bot will have access to basic information about your account (see section 6.3 above), and will be able to message you privately. Additionally, the bot will have access to all messages, media and files contained in the private chats you allow it to manage. Lastly, if you grant it permission to do so (and only in the private chats you assigned to it), the bot will be able to send messages and perform other actions on your behalf.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to Telegram Business subscribers who connect a bot, and only to the private chats they allow.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Shipping details go straight to the merchant bot developer; Telegram stores them only if you choose
Shipping information you enter when placing an order is sent directly to the merchant bot developer. Telegram can store your shipping information for future purchases if you choose to save it, and says it will delete that information immediately if you ask.
Supporting quotations
When you enter shipping information in the process of placing an order, we send it directly to the merchant bot developer. We can store your shipping information for you if you choose to save it for future purchases. We will delete this information immediately if you ask us to.
Not stated here
What the merchant bot developer does with the shipping information is not covered here; section 6.4 says bot developers are independent of Telegram.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
By choosing to communicate with other users you instruct Telegram to transfer your data to them
Other Telegram users you choose to communicate with and share information with may be located outside the EEA. By entering into the Terms of Service and choosing to communicate with those users, you instruct Telegram to transfer your personal data to them on your behalf, in line with this policy. Telegram says it uses appropriate technical and organizational measures, including encryption, to keep your data secure at a level appropriate to the risk.
Supporting quotations
Other users of our Services with whom you choose to communicate with and share certain information, who may be located outside the EEA.
Note that by entering into the Terms of Service and choosing to communicate with such other users of Telegram, you are instructing us to transfer your personal data, on your behalf, to those users in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We employ all appropriate technical and organizational measures (including encryption of your personal data) to ensure a level of security for your personal data that is appropriate to the risk.
Not stated here
The Terms of Service referred to here are a separate document that is not part of this saved text.
Sharing & Disclosure · Restriction or exception
Others you chat with can pass your shared data on to third parties, and Telegram cannot prevent it
Telegram warns that if you chat with others and share data with them, they become capable of sharing that data further with third parties without your knowledge or consent, and Telegram has no way to prevent this.
Supporting quotations
However, note that if you chat with others and share data with them, they become capable of sharing such data further with third parties without your knowledge or consent, and Telegram has no way to prevent this.
Sharing & Disclosure · Permission or license
Telegram may share personal data with group companies in the BVI and Dubai, using EU standard contract clauses
To provide, improve and support its Services, Telegram may share your personal data with its parent company Telegram Group Inc (British Virgin Islands), with Telegraph Inc., a group member also in the BVI, and with Telegram FZ-LLC, a group member in Dubai. Telegram says it will put appropriate safeguards in place, in the form of standard contract clauses approved by the European Commission in an agreement between it and the relevant group companies, and that you can contact its EEA representative (section 1.4) for more information about these clauses.
Supporting quotations
To provide, improve and support our Services, we may share your personal data with: (1) our parent company, Telegram Group Inc, located in the British Virgin Islands, (2) Telegraph Inc., a group member also located in the BVI; and (3) Telegram FZ-LLC, a group member located in Dubai. We will implement appropriate safeguards to protect the security and integrity of that personal data. This will take the form of standard contract clauses approved by the European Commission in an agreement between us and our relevant group companies. If you would like more information regarding these clauses, please contact our EEA representative using the details in section 1.4 above.
Qualifications & exceptions
Sharing is stated as something Telegram "may" do, for the purpose of providing, improving and supporting the Services.
Not stated here
The safeguard is described in European Commission terms; the policy does not say whether the same safeguards apply to users outside the EEA.
Sharing & Disclosure · Permission or license
Telegram may disclose your IP address and phone number to authorities on a valid judicial order naming you a suspect
If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant judicial authorities confirming that you are a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Terms of Service, it will perform a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities. If any data is shared, Telegram says it will include such occurrences in a quarterly transparency report.
Supporting quotations
If Telegram receives a valid order from the relevant judicial authorities that confirms you're a suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Telegram Terms of Service, we will perform a legal analysis of the request and may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities. If any data is shared, we will include such occurrences in a quarterly transparency report published at:
Qualifications & exceptions
Disclosure is stated as something Telegram "may" do after a legal analysis, and the data named is your IP address and phone number.
Not stated here
This section does not describe how Telegram handles other kinds of legal requests, such as non-judicial or civil ones.
Sharing & Disclosure · Permission or license
Messages you choose to translate may be shared with Google or Microsoft for translation only
You can translate a specific text message through the action menu after turning on Translation services in Settings > Languages, and Telegram Premium users can optionally enable automatic live translation on any chat, group or channel. Because Telegram may rely on Google LLC or Microsoft Corporation for automatic translation, the text of messages you choose to translate may be shared with them to get the translations. Telegram says these companies will only access the data to provide a translation and will not use it for any other products, services or advertising.
Supporting quotations
Users can choose to translate a specific text message into a different language by tapping “Translate” in the action menu of the message (to enable this option, a user should first turn on Translation services in the Settings > Languages section of the Telegram application). Telegram Premium users can also optionally enable automatic live translation on any chat, group or channel.
Since Telegram may rely on Google LLC or Microsoft Corporation for automatic translation of messages, the text of any message or set of messages that users choose to translate may be shared with Google or Microsoft in order to obtain their translated versions. These third-party companies will only access the data to provide a translation and will not use it for any other products, services, or advertising.
Qualifications & exceptions
Sharing applies to messages you choose to translate; live translation for entire chats is a Premium option you enable.
Not stated here
The text does not say how long Google or Microsoft keep the text, or whether secret chats can be translated; the limits on their use are Telegram's description of the third parties' conduct.
Sharing & Disclosure · Permission or license
Audio you choose to transcribe may be shared with Google, which Telegram says will not log or reuse it
Some users can convert a voice or video message to text with the Voice-to-Text icon, an option that requires a Telegram Premium subscription. Because Telegram may rely on Google LLC for this, the audio of messages users choose to convert may be shared with Google. Only audio data may be shared, not the user's IP address or account information. Telegram says that under its agreement with Google, Telegram pays for the transcriptions and Google accesses the audio only to provide the transcript, does not log audio data or transcripts and does not use the data for other Google products, services or advertising.
Supporting quotations
Some users can choose to convert a voice or video message to text by tapping on the Voice-to-Text icon (“->A”) displayed on eligible messages (to be able to use this option, users should subscribe to Telegram Premium in the Settings > Telegram Premium section of the Telegram application).
Since Telegram may rely on a third party, Google LLC, subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, for voice-to-text conversion, the audio data of voice and video messages that users choose to convert to text may be shared with Google in order to obtain their transcribed versions. Only audio data may be shared for this purpose (no other data, such as the user's IP address or any information about their account is shared). According to the agreement between Telegram and Google, Telegram will pay for the transcriptions on behalf of its users and Google will only access the audio data to provide a transcribed version – it will not log audio data or transcripts, and will not use the data for any other Google products, services, or advertising.
Qualifications & exceptions
Sharing applies only to voice or video messages you choose to convert, and the conversion option requires Telegram Premium.
Not stated here
The Telegram–Google agreement is not part of this text; the limits on Google's use are Telegram's description of it.