This policy covers Telegram Messenger Inc.'s cloud messaging Services and forms part of its Terms of Service
The policy explains how Telegram Messenger Inc. uses and protects the personal data you give it, or that it otherwise obtains or generates, when you use its cloud-based messaging services. It forms part of Telegram's Terms of Service and is meant to be read together with them.
Supporting quotations
This Privacy Policy sets out how we, Telegram Messenger Inc. (“Telegram”), use and protect your personal data that you provide to us, or that is otherwise obtained or generated by us, in connection with your use of our cloud-based messaging services (the “Services”).
This Privacy Policy forms part of our Terms of Service, which describes the terms under which you use our Services
This Privacy Policy should therefore be read in conjunction with those terms.
Qualifications & exceptions
"Services" is defined as Telegram's cloud-based messaging services; later sections also describe Premium, Business, bot and payment features.
Not stated here
The Terms of Service are a separate document that is not part of this saved text, so what they add on privacy is not shown here.
Use & Processing · Company commitment
Telegram states two privacy principles: no ads from chats or contact lists, and storing only data it needs
Telegram says it follows two fundamental principles when collecting and processing private data. It does not use the contents of your chats or contact lists to show you ads, and it stores only the data Telegram needs to work as a secure, feature-rich messaging service. Later it repeats that no contents of private chats or contact lists are mined or analyzed to display ads or sponsored messages.
Supporting quotations
Telegram has two fundamental principles when it comes to collecting and processing private data:
We don't use the contents of any of your chats or contact lists to show you ads.
We only store the data that Telegram needs to function as a secure and feature-rich messaging service.
Unlike other services, we don't use the contents of your private chats or contacts lists for ad targeting or other commercial purposes.
No contents of private chats or contacts lists are mined or analyzed to display ads or sponsored messages.
Qualifications & exceptions
These are introductory principles. Section 5.6.1 describes other data that can be used to choose ads, such as content language, an approximate country and city, and large public channels you follow.
The ad commitment is about the contents of chats and contact lists. Section 5.3 separately allows automated analysis of cloud-chat messages to stop spam and phishing.
Not stated here
What counts as data Telegram "needs" to function is not defined beyond the data types described in later sections.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Procedure
EEA users: Telegram is the data controller and has appointed EDPO as its GDPR representative
If you live in the European Economic Area, Telegram is the data controller responsible for your personal data. Because Telegram is located outside the EEA, it has designated the European Data Protection Office (EDPO) as its representative under Article 27 of the GDPR. You can send GDPR-related queries to EDPO through its online request form or by writing to its address in Brussels. The same representative is the contact for more information about the standard contract clauses that cover sharing with Telegram group companies (section 8.2).
Supporting quotations
the Services are provided by Telegram, which for the purposes of applicable data protection legislation is the data controller responsible for your personal data when you use our Services
However, as Telegram is located outside the EEA, we have designated a third party, European Data Protection Office (EDPO), as our
pursuant to Article 27 of the GDPR. You can direct to EDPO any of your GDPR-related queries:
by using EDPO’s online request form at
by writing to EDPO at Avenue Huart Hamoir 71, 1030 Brussels, Belgium.
please contact our EEA representative using the details in section 1.4 above.
Qualifications & exceptions
The controller statement and the EDPO route are stated for people who live in the EEA.
Not stated here
The text does not say whether Telegram names a representative or a different controller arrangement for users outside the EEA, such as in the United States.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Company practice
Telegram says it processes personal data on the ground of its legitimate interests
Telegram states that it processes your personal data on the ground that this is necessary for its legitimate interests, which it gives as providing effective and innovative Services and detecting, preventing or otherwise addressing fraud or security issues in providing the Services. It adds that this applies unless those interests are overridden by your interest or fundamental rights and freedoms that require protection of personal data.
Supporting quotations
We process your personal data on the ground that such processing is necessary to further our legitimate interests (including: (1) providing effective and innovative Services to our users; and (2) to detect, prevent or otherwise address fraud or security issues in respect of our provision of Services), unless those interests are overridden by your interest or fundamental rights and freedoms that require protections of personal data.
Qualifications & exceptions
This section names legitimate interests as the ground for processing. Section 5.6.1 repeats that basis for data used to serve ads.
Not stated here
The policy does not describe how Telegram weighs its interests against yours in a particular case.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
You give a mobile number and basic profile data to create an account
To create a Telegram account you provide your mobile number and basic account data, which may include a profile name, profile picture and "about" information.
Supporting quotations
You provide your mobile number and basic account data (which may include profile name, profile picture and about information) to create a Telegram account.
Qualifications & exceptions
The profile items are described as data the account data "may include", so not every account will have all of them.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
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.
Data Access & Collection · User right or choice
A birthday is optional and you choose who sees it (default: your Contacts); age data may gate content
You can add your birthday, with or without the year, to your Telegram profile. You can choose granularly which users see it on your profile (by default, your Contacts), and they are shown a reminder on the day. Separately, Telegram says it may use data about your age to determine whether you are eligible to access age-specific content.
Supporting quotations
You can add your birthday (with or without the year) to your Telegram profile if you wish to do so. You can granularly choose which users are able to see it on your profile (by default, your Contacts), and they will be shown a reminder on the day.
We may use data about your age to determine your eligibility for accessing age-specific content.
Qualifications & exceptions
The age-eligibility use is stated as something Telegram "may" do.
Not stated here
The policy does not say whether eligibility is decided only from a birthday you add or from other age data, or what the age-specific content is.
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.
Use & Processing · Company commitment
A password recovery email is used only to send recovery codes, not marketing
When you turn on 2-step verification or store documents with the Telegram Passport feature, you can choose to set up a password recovery email. Telegram says this address will be used only to send you a password recovery code if you forget your password, with no marketing messages.
Supporting quotations
When you enable 2-step-verification for your account or store documents using the Telegram Passport feature, you can opt to set up a password recovery email. This address will only be used to send you a password recovery code if you forget it.
no marketing or
Qualifications & exceptions
Setting a recovery email is optional ("you can opt to").
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Some users may be asked for a login email, stored separately and used only for login codes
From September 2022, Telegram may ask some users to provide an email address so that login codes arrive by email instead of SMS, with an option to use Sign in with Google or Sign in with Apple. Telegram receives that email address, stores it separately from any recovery email and says it will use it only to send authentication codes when you log in. It keeps the login email until it is changed or the account is deleted.
Supporting quotations
From September 2022, we may ask some users to provide an email address to receive login codes via email instead of SMS (with an option to use 'Sign in with Google' / 'Sign in with Apple').
we will receive an email address which will be stored separately from the recovery email, and will only be used to send you authentication codes when you log in to your account. The login email address will be stored until it is changed or the account is deleted.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to "some users" whom Telegram asks.
Not stated here
The policy does not say how users are chosen to be asked, or what information Google or Apple receive if you use those sign-in options.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Cloud chat messages, photos, videos and documents are stored on Telegram's servers, encrypted
Telegram is a cloud service. It stores the messages, photos, videos and documents from your cloud chats on its servers so you can reach them from any of your devices without third-party backups. Telegram says the data is stored heavily encrypted and that the encryption keys are kept in several other data centers in different jurisdictions, so local engineers or physical intruders cannot get access.
Supporting quotations
Telegram is a cloud service. We store messages, photos, videos and documents from your cloud chats on our servers so that you can access your data from any of your devices anytime without having to rely on third-party backups.
All data is stored heavily encrypted and the encryption keys in each case are stored in several other data centers in different jurisdictions. This way local engineers or physical intruders cannot get access to user data.
Qualifications & exceptions
This covers cloud chats. Secret chats are different: they are end-to-end encrypted and not stored on the servers (section 3.3.2).
The stated protection is against local engineers and physical intruders; it is not a statement that no one at Telegram can read cloud chats.
Not stated here
Section 5.3 separately describes moderator review of reported messages and automated analysis of cloud-chat messages to stop spam and phishing; this section does not say who at Telegram can access cloud-chat content or how long it is kept beyond section 4.3 and the deletion options in section 10.
Security & Safeguards · Company practice
Secret chats are end-to-end encrypted and not stored on Telegram's servers
Secret chats use end-to-end encryption, so all data is encrypted with a key that only you and the recipient know. Telegram says it cannot learn the content of those messages, does not store secret chats on its servers and keeps no logs of secret-chat messages, so after a short period it no longer knows who you messaged or when. Secret chats are not available in the cloud; you can access those messages only from the device they were sent to or from.
Supporting quotations
Secret chats use end-to-end encryption. This means that all data is encrypted with a key that only you and the recipient know. There is no way for us or anybody else without direct access to your device to learn what content is being sent in those messages. We do not store your secret chats on our servers. We also do not keep any logs for messages in secret chats, so after a short period of time we no longer know who or when you messaged via secret chats.
you can only access those messages from the device they were sent to or from.
Qualifications & exceptions
Media sent in secret chats is handled differently on the server side; see the next card on secret-chat media.
Not stated here
"After a short period of time" is not defined, so how long Telegram knows who messaged whom in a secret chat is not stated.
Security & Safeguards · Company practice
Secret-chat media is encrypted per item; the unreadable file sits on Telegram's servers until purged
Photos, videos and files sent in secret chats are each encrypted with a separate key that the server does not know. That key and the file's location are encrypted again with the secret chat's key and sent to the recipient. Telegram says the file is technically on one of its servers but looks like indecipherable random data, it does not know what the data is or which chat it belongs to, and it periodically purges this data from its servers to save disk space.
Supporting quotations
When you send photos, videos or files via secret chats, before being uploaded, each item is encrypted with a separate key, not known to the server.
This means that the file is technically on one of Telegram’s servers, but it looks like a piece of random indecipherable garbage to everyone except for you and the recipient. We don’t know what this random data stands for and we have no idea which particular chat it belongs to. We periodically purge this random data from our servers to save disk space.
Qualifications & exceptions
This is the one place the policy says encrypted secret-chat content is held on Telegram's servers, even though section 3.3.2 says Telegram does not store secret chats on its servers; the policy describes the held file as unreadable to Telegram.
Not stated here
How often the data is purged is not stated.
Cross-references
contrast (model-proposed): Secret chats are end-to-end encrypted and not stored on Telegram's servers — contrast: Section 3.3.2 says Telegram does not store secret chats on its servers, while section 3.3.3 says the per-item encrypted file for secret-chat media is technically on a Telegram server until purged; Telegram describes the held file as unreadable.
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.
Retention & Deletion · Company practice
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Your phone number is your identifier; Telegram asks permission before syncing contacts and stores number and name
Telegram uses phone numbers as unique identifiers so you can switch from SMS and other messaging apps and keep your social graph. It says it asks your permission before syncing your contacts. Once synced, it stores your up-to-date contacts to tell you when one of them joins Telegram and to display names properly in notifications, and it says it needs only each contact's number and first and last name and stores no other data about your contacts.
Supporting quotations
Telegram uses phone numbers as unique identifiers so that it is easy for you to switch from SMS and other messaging apps and retain your social graph. We ask your permission before syncing your contacts.
We store your up-to-date contacts in order to notify you as soon as one of your contacts signs up for Telegram and to properly display names in notifications. We only need the number and name (first and last) for this to work and store no other data about your contacts.
Qualifications & exceptions
Syncing depends on your permission; you can stop syncing or delete synced contacts in Data Settings (see the next packet).
Data Access & Collection · User right or choice
You can stop syncing contacts or delete them from Telegram's servers in Data Settings
You can always stop syncing contacts or delete them from Telegram's servers in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings. Telegram asks permission before syncing, and it stores synced contacts to tell you when a contact signs up and to display names in notifications, using only each contact's number and first and last name.
Supporting quotations
You can always stop syncing contacts or delete them from our servers in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings.
We ask your permission before syncing your contacts.
We store your up-to-date contacts in order to notify you as soon as one of your contacts signs up for Telegram and to properly display names in notifications. We only need the number and name (first and last) for this to work and store no other data about your contacts.
Qualifications & exceptions
The Data Settings path is given for the mobile apps in section 9.3.
Inference & Profiling · Company practice
Anonymized phone-number sets are used to estimate how many contacts an unregistered number may have
Telegram's automatic algorithms can use anonymized sets of phone numbers to calculate the approximate number of potential contacts an unregistered phone number may have on Telegram. When you open the "Invite friends" interface, Telegram shows the resulting statistics next to your contacts so you can see who could benefit most from joining.
Supporting quotations
Our automatic algorithms can also use anonymized sets of phone numbers to calculate the approximate number of potential contacts an unregistered phone number may have on Telegram. When you open the 'Invite friends' interface, we display the resulting statistics next to your contacts to give you an idea of who could benefit most from joining Telegram.
Qualifications & exceptions
"Anonymized" is Telegram's description; the policy does not explain the method.
Not stated here
The text does not say whether the anonymized phone numbers come from contacts that users sync.
Data Access & Collection · Company commitment
On Android, a granted call-log permission is used only to confirm a verification phone call
On Android, Telegram asks for permission to access your phone call logs (READ_CALL_LOG). If you grant it, Telegram can verify your account by placing a phone call instead of asking you to enter a code. Telegram says it uses this permission only to confirm receipt of that confirmation call by checking the number in the call log.
Supporting quotations
If you are using Android, Telegram will ask you for permission to access your phone call logs (READ_CALL_LOG). If you grant this permission, Telegram will be able verify your account by transmitting a phone call instead of asking you to enter a code. Telegram uses this permission only to confirm receipt of the confirmation call by verifying the number in the call log.
Qualifications & exceptions
The permission is requested from you and only applies if you grant it.
Not stated here
The text does not say whether call-log entries are kept after the check.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Locations you share in a chat are treated like other messages in cloud or secret chats
If you share a location in a chat, Telegram treats that location data like other messages in the same kind of chat: as cloud-chat data in a cloud chat and as secret-chat data in a secret chat.
Supporting quotations
If you share a location in a chat, this location data is treated like other messages in
respectively.
Qualifications & exceptions
See the cloud-chat and secret-chat cards for how those chats are stored.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Live Location and "Make Myself Visible" let Telegram show your location to chosen users, even with the app closed
If you share your Live Location in any chat or turn on "Make Myself Visible" in People Nearby, Telegram uses your data to display your location to the users you are sharing it with, even when the app is closed, for as long as you keep these optional features activated.
Supporting quotations
in any chat or turn on ’Make Myself Visible
Telegram will use your data to display your location to those users with whom you are sharing it, even when the app is closed – for as long as you keep these optional features activated.
Qualifications & exceptions
Both features are optional and the use lasts only while they stay activated.
Not stated here
The text does not say how long location data is kept after you stop sharing.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Telegram says it uses only cookies needed to run its web services, not for profiling or advertising
The only cookies Telegram says it uses are those needed to operate and provide its Services on the web, and it says it does not use cookies for profiling or advertising. Your browser should let you control or block cookies, but if you disable them you will not be able to log in to Telegram Web.
Supporting quotations
The only cookies we use are those to operate and provide our Services on the web. We do not use cookies for profiling or advertising.
You may choose to block cookies with your web browser, however, if you do disable these cookies you will not be able to log in to Telegram Web.
Qualifications & exceptions
The cookie statement is about cookies on Telegram's web services.
Not stated here
The policy does not list individual cookies or how long they last.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Data of users who signed up from the UK or EEA is stored in Netherlands data centers
If you signed up for Telegram from the UK or the EEA, your data is stored in data centers in the Netherlands. These are third-party data centers where Telegram rents designated space, but Telegram owns the servers and networks inside them on which personal data is stored. Telegram says that for this reason it does not share your personal data with those data centers, and that all data is stored heavily encrypted so local Telegram engineers or physical intruders cannot get access.
Supporting quotations
If you signed up for Telegram from the UK or the EEA, your data is stored in data centers in the Netherlands. These are third-party provided data centers in which Telegram rents a designated space. However, the servers and networks that sit inside these data centers and on which your personal data is stored are owned by Telegram. As such, we do not share your personal data with such data centers. All data is stored heavily encrypted so that local Telegram engineers or physical intruders cannot get access.
Qualifications & exceptions
Stated for users who signed up from the UK or the EEA.
Not stated here
This section does not say where data is stored for users who signed up from other places, such as the United States.
Security & Safeguards · Company practice
End-to-end encrypted data (secret chats, call contents, Passport data) is processed only on devices
Messages, media and files from secret chats, the contents of your calls and the data you store in Telegram Passport are processed only on your device and your recipient's device. Before this data reaches Telegram's servers it is encrypted with a key known only to you and the recipient. Telegram's servers handle it to deliver it to the recipient, or store it in the case of Telegram Passport data, but Telegram says it has no way of deciphering it and that it stores and processes only random sequences of symbols that mean nothing without the keys it does not have.
Supporting quotations
Your messages, media and files from secret chats (see section 3.3.2 above), as well as the contents of your calls and the data you store in your
are processed only on your device and on the device of your recipient. Before this data reaches our servers, it is encrypted with a key known only to you and the recipient. While Telegram servers will handle this end-to-end encrypted data to deliver it to the recipient – or store it in the case of Telegram Passport data, we have no ways of deciphering the actual information.
In this case, we neither store nor process your personal data, rather we store and process random sequences of symbols that have no meaning without the keys
We do not store your secret chats on our servers.
Qualifications & exceptions
This is Telegram's own account of what its servers hold for end-to-end encrypted data.
Section 3.3.3 notes that the encrypted file for secret-chat media is technically held on a Telegram server until purged.
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Telegram processes your data to deliver your cloud chat history to your chosen devices
Telegram is a cloud service. It says it will process your data to deliver your cloud chat history, including messages, media and files, to any devices you choose, without you needing third-party backups or cloud storage.
Supporting quotations
Telegram is a cloud service. We will process your data to deliver your cloud chat history, including messages, media and files, to any devices of your choosing without a need for you to use third-party backups or cloud storage.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Telegram may collect security metadata such as IP address and devices, kept for 12 months at most
To improve account security and to prevent spam, abuse and other Terms of Service violations, Telegram says it may collect metadata such as your IP address, the devices and Telegram apps you have used, and your history of username changes (the list ends with "etc."). If collected, this metadata can be kept for 12 months maximum.
Supporting quotations
To improve the security of your account, as well as to prevent
abuse, and other violations of our Terms of Service, we may collect metadata such as your IP address, devices and Telegram apps you've used, history of username changes, etc. If collected, this metadata can be kept for 12 months maximum.
Qualifications & exceptions
Collection is stated as something Telegram "may" do ("if collected"), and the 12 months is a maximum.
Not stated here
The "etc." means the full list of metadata types is not given.
Security & Safeguards · Company practice
Moderators may check reported messages; confirmed spam can limit your account, serious violations a ban
To prevent phishing, spam and other abuse and violations of Telegram's Terms of Service, Telegram moderators may check messages that recipients reported to them. If a spam report on a message you sent is confirmed by moderators, your account may be limited from contacting strangers, temporarily or permanently, and you can send an appeal using @Spambot. For more serious violations your account may be banned.
Supporting quotations
To prevent phishing, spam and other kinds of abuse and violations of Telegram’s Terms of Service, our moderators may check messages that were reported to them by their recipients. If a spam report on a message you sent is confirmed by our moderators, your account may be limited from contacting strangers – temporarily or permanently. You can send an appeal using
In case of more serious violations, your account may be banned.
Qualifications & exceptions
Moderator review is described as covering messages that recipients reported.
Inference & Profiling · Company practice
Automated algorithms may analyze messages in cloud chats to stop spam and phishing
Telegram says it may also use automated algorithms to analyze messages in cloud chats to stop spam and phishing.
Supporting quotations
We may also use automated algorithms to analyze messages in cloud chats to stop spam and phishing.
Qualifications & exceptions
The stated purpose is stopping spam and phishing. Section 5.6 separately says chat contents are not used for ad targeting or other commercial purposes.
Not stated here
The policy does not say what the analysis produces, whether any results are kept, or how this applies to secret chats, which are described as not readable by Telegram.
Inference & Profiling · Company practice
Aggregated usage data builds features like frequent-contact suggestions, which you can turn off
Telegram says it may store some aggregated metadata to create features that work across all your devices, and may use some aggregated data about how you use Telegram to build useful features. For example, it calculates a rating of the people you message most often to show likely contacts at the top of Search, and a similar rating for inline bots so the app can suggest the bots you are most likely to use. You can turn this off and delete the related data by disabling "Suggest Frequent Contacts" in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings.
Supporting quotations
We may also store some aggregated metadata to create Telegram features (see section 5.5 below) that work across all your devices.
We may use some aggregated data about how you use Telegram to build useful features. For example, when you open the Search menu, Telegram displays the people you are more likely to message in a box at the top of the screen. To do this, we calculate a rating that shows which people you message frequently. A similar rating is calculated for inline bots so that the app can suggest the bots you are most likely to use in the attachment menu
To turn this feature off and delete the relevant data, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings and disable
Qualifications & exceptions
The example is a per-person rating of whom you message most; the policy does not define "aggregated".
Not stated here
The policy gives only these examples of features built from aggregated data.
Use & Processing · Company commitment
Private chat contents and contact lists are not used for ad targeting or other commercial purposes
Telegram says it does not use the contents of your private chats or contact lists for ad targeting or other commercial purposes, and that it stores only the information it needs to function as a secure and feature-rich cloud service. It also says no contents of private chats or contact lists are mined or analyzed to display ads or sponsored messages.
Supporting quotations
Unlike other services, we don't use the contents of your private chats or contacts lists for ad targeting or other commercial purposes. Telegram only stores the information it needs to function as a secure and feature-rich cloud service.
No contents of private chats or contacts lists are mined or analyzed to display ads or sponsored messages.
Qualifications & exceptions
The commitment covers private chats and contact lists. Section 5.6.1 describes other data that can be used to pick ads (content language, approximate country and city, and large public channels you follow), and section 5.3 allows automated analysis of cloud-chat messages to stop spam and phishing.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Sponsored messages run in large public channels, bots, stories and search, by default targeted by topic or search terms
Telegram offers advertisers a tool to promote their messages in public one-to-many channels with 1,000 subscribers or more, as well as in bots, stories and Telegram's public search. By default, these sponsored messages are based solely on the topic of the public channels or the search terms in which they are shown. Section 5.6.1 describes further data that can also affect which ads are shown.
Supporting quotations
for advertisers to promote their messages in
(with 1,000 subscribers or more), as well as in bots, stories, and Telegram’s public search. By default, these sponsored messages are based solely on the topic of the public channels or search terms in which they are shown.
Qualifications & exceptions
"By default" leaves room for the additional targeting data described in section 5.6.1.
Use & Processing · Company practice
Telegram Premium users do not see ads and are not affected by the Telegram Ad Platform
Telegram says Premium users do not see ads and are not affected by the Telegram Ad Platform, and that the targeting-related data referenced in section 5.6.1 is not processed for such users.
Supporting quotations
Telegram Premium users don’t see ads and are not affected by the
Telegram Premium users don’t see ads and are not affected by the Ad Platform. Targeting-related data referenced in this section is not processed for such users.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to users with a Telegram Premium subscription.
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.
Inference & Profiling · Company practice
Ads in large public channels and search can use content language and an approximate country and city
In large public one-to-many channels (1,000 subscribers or more) and in public search results, ads may be shown based on the language of the content, which may be common to several countries. To keep ads relevant, ads can be shown in a particular country and city, approximated from the country and area code of your phone number or from your IP address. Telegram says this data is never passed to advertisers, no other geolocation data is used and no precise location tracking is involved. This lets advertisers restrict ad visibility to certain countries or regions.
Supporting quotations
In large public one-to-many channels (with 1,000 subscribers or more), and public search results, ads may be shown based on the language of the content – however, that language may be common to several different countries. To keep ads relevant, ads can be shown in a particular country and city, approximated based on the country and area code of a user's phone number or their IP address. This data is never passed to advertisers, no other geolocation data is used, and no precise location-tracking is involved for these purposes. This makes it possible for advertisers to restrict ad visibility to certain countries or regions – for instance, creating an ad for Spanish-speaking audiences but opting not to display it within Spain.
Qualifications & exceptions
Described for large public one-to-many channels (1,000 subscribers or more) and public search results.
Not stated here
The text does not say whether the same approximation is used for ads in other placements, such as bots or stories.
Ads can be chosen from the large public channels you follow
Users who follow a sufficient number of large public one-to-many channels (for example in categories such as Finance, Business & Entrepreneurship or Humor & Memes) may see ads from that category in other large public channels or in bots. Users may also see ads selected on the basis of the channels they follow. Telegram says this data is never passed to advertisers.
Supporting quotations
Users following a sufficient number of large public one-to-many channels (e.g., Finance, Business & Entrepreneurship, or Humor & Memes), may see ads from that category in other large public channels or in other bots as well. Users may also see ads selected on the basis of the channels they follow. This data is never passed to advertisers.
Your section 9 rights remain alongside ad targeting, subject to Telegram's stated minimum requirements
Telegram says the rights described in section 9 remain unaffected by its advertising tools. Under applicable data protection legislation and in certain circumstances you have rights concerning your personal data, and you exercise them using the contact details in section 12. You can also control how your data is used, for example by deleting synced contacts, in Data Settings in the mobile apps. Telegram adds that if you are not OK with its "modest minimum requirements" it cannot provide you with its Services, and you can delete your account.
Supporting quotations
Your rights described in section 9 below remain unaffected.
Under applicable data protection legislation, in certain circumstances, you have rights concerning your personal data.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, kindly use the contact details in section 12 below.
You can control how your data is used (e.g., delete synced contacts) in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings (using one of our mobile apps).
Sadly, if you're not OK with Telegram's modest minimum requirements, it won't be possible for us to provide you with our Services.
Qualifications & exceptions
The rights apply "in certain circumstances" under "applicable" data protection legislation.
Not stated here
The policy does not define the "minimum requirements" or say which laws apply to a particular user.
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.
Data Access & Collection · Company practice
Clicking a bot's links or buttons can reveal your IP address to the bot
If you click on links or buttons provided by a bot, the bot can potentially get your IP address, provided that the bot controls the website the link leads to.
Supporting quotations
If you click on links or buttons provided by the bot, the bot can potentially get your IP address (provided that it controls the website to which the link leads).
Qualifications & exceptions
Described as something the bot "can potentially" get, and only where it controls the destination website.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Company practice
Third-party bot developers are independent of Telegram; only certain bots have Telegram-set terms
The terms of use for certain bots are set by Telegram. No other bots or third-party bot developers are affiliated with Telegram; they are completely independent from it. Telegram says they should ask your permission before they access your data or you make it available to them. Your use of the Bot and Mini App features is governed by the Terms of Service for Bots and the Terms of Services for Mini Apps.
Supporting quotations
The terms of use for certain bots are set by Telegram. No other bots or third-party bot developers are affiliated with Telegram. They are completely independent from us. They should ask you for your permission before they access your data or you make it available to them.
Your usage of the Bot and Mini App features is governed by the
Qualifications & exceptions
The permission point is stated as what bots "should" do, not as something Telegram guarantees.
Not stated here
The policy does not say which bots have Telegram-set terms. The Terms of Service for Bots and for Mini Apps are separate documents that are not part of this saved text.
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.
Account & Service Control · User right or choice
You can change or revoke a Business chatbot's permissions and chat list at any time
You can alter or revoke a connected bot's permissions, including the list of chats it can access, at any time from Settings > Telegram Business > Chatbots on official Telegram clients.
Supporting quotations
You can alter or revoke the bot’s permissions, including the list of chats it can access, at any time from Settings > Telegram Business > Chatbots on official Telegram clients.
Charges & Financial Obligations · Company practice
Paying through a bot sends shipping details to the bot developer, while card details go to the payment provider
Paying for goods and services via bots is one of the ways data reaches bot developers. Telegram does not process the payments: card details are entered into a form supplied by the payment provider and go directly to the provider's server, and neither Telegram nor the merchant bot developers have access to them. Shipping information you enter when placing an order is sent directly to the merchant bot developer.
Supporting quotations
By paying for goods and services via bots (see section 7 below).
Telegram does not process payments from users and instead relies on different payment providers around the world. It is the payment providers that handle and store your credit card details. Neither Telegram nor the merchants on the platform (bot developers) have access to this information.
When making a purchase, you enter your credit card details into a form supplied by the payment provider that will be processing the payment, and this information goes directly to the payment provider's server.
When you enter shipping information in the process of placing an order, we send it directly to the merchant bot developer.
Qualifications & exceptions
Section 7 gives the full payment rules, including saved cards, clearing payment information and disputes.
Charges & Financial Obligations · Company practice
Telegram does not process bot-purchase payments; independent providers handle and store card details
The Payment Platform for Bots relies on payment providers around the world; Telegram does not process payments from users. The payment providers handle and store your credit card details, and neither Telegram nor the merchants (bot developers) have access to this information. Telegram says the providers are completely independent from it and asks you to study their privacy policies before making your data available to them.
Supporting quotations
Telegram does not process payments from users and instead relies on different payment providers around the world. It is the payment providers that handle and store your credit card details. Neither Telegram nor the merchants on the platform (bot developers) have access to this information. Although we work with payment providers they are completely independent from Telegram. Please study their relevant privacy policies before making your data available to them.
Not stated here
The providers' own privacy practices are not described and their policies are not part of this saved text.
This section speaks of payments through the Payment Platform for Bots and does not mention Telegram Stars, which section 3.3.5 refers to for paid channel posts; any separate Stars terms are not in this text.
Charges & Financial Obligations · Company practice
Card details never reach Telegram's servers; Telegram holds only a reusable token from the provider
When you buy through a bot you enter card details in a form supplied by the payment provider, and they go directly to the provider's server. Telegram says your card information never reaches its servers and that it does not access or store it. If you save a card, it is saved on the provider's servers and the provider gives Telegram a token you can reuse for future payments; Telegram says the card information cannot be reconstructed from the token.
Supporting quotations
When making a purchase, you enter your credit card details into a form supplied by the payment provider that will be processing the payment, and this information goes directly to the payment provider's server. Your credit card information never reaches Telegram's servers. We do not access and do not store your credit card information. When you save your credit card info, it is saved on the respective payment provider's servers and the payment provider gives Telegram a token that you can reuse for future payments. It is not possible to reconstruct your credit card info from the token.
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.
Charges & Financial Obligations · User right or choice
"Clear Payment & Shipping Info" deletes stored shipping info and payment tokens and asks providers to remove card data
You can clear all payment information associated with your account at any time in Telegram Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings by selecting "Clear Payment & Shipping Info". If you do, Telegram deletes your stored shipping information and payment tokens from all providers and asks the payment providers to remove the credit card information they store.
Supporting quotations
You can clear all payment information associated with your account at any time by going to Telegram Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings and selecting ‘Clear Payment & Shipping Info’. If you choose to remove your payment information, we will delete your stored shipping info and payment tokens from all providers and ask the payment providers to remove your credit card information that they store.
Qualifications & exceptions
Telegram commits to delete what it stores and to "ask" providers to remove card information; the text does not promise that providers will do so.
Not stated here
What providers do after Telegram asks them is not stated.
Charges & Financial Obligations · Restriction or exception
Telegram says it cannot handle complaints or cashbacks for bot payments; others are responsible
Because Telegram does not store credit card details or transaction information, it says it is impossible for it to handle complaints or cashbacks. Disputed payments are the responsibility of the bot developers, payment providers and banks that took part in the exchange.
Supporting quotations
Due to the fact that Telegram doesn't store any credit card details or transaction information, it is impossible for us to handle complaints or cashbacks – any disputed payments are the responsibility of the bot developers, payment providers, and banks that participated in the exchange.
Not stated here
Section 3.3.5 describes a transaction history for paid channel posts bought with Telegram Stars; the policy does not say whether that history counts as the "transaction information" this sentence says Telegram does not store, and section 7 does not mention Stars.
Cross-references
contrast (model-proposed): Paid channel posts leave a permanent copy in the parties' transaction history — contrast: Section 7.5 says Telegram stores no transaction information for bot payments, while section 3.3.5 says a permanent copy of a paid-post unlock sits in the parties' transaction history; the policy does not say whether the two sections cover the same payments.
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.
Account & Service Control · User right or choice
Under applicable data protection law you may have rights to a copy, deletion, restriction, correction and complaint
Under applicable data protection legislation, in certain circumstances, you have rights concerning your personal data: (1) to request a copy of all personal data Telegram stores and to transmit it to another data controller; (2) to delete or amend your personal data; (3) to restrict, or object to, its processing; (4) to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data; and (5) to lodge a complaint with national data protection authorities. For deletion the policy points to section 10; deleting your account removes all data you store in the Telegram cloud.
Supporting quotations
Under applicable data protection legislation, in certain circumstances, you have rights concerning your personal data. You have a right to: (1) request a copy of all your personal data that we store and to transmit that copy to another data controller; (2) delete (see section 10 below) or amend your personal data; (3) restrict, or object to, the processing of your personal data; (4) correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold on you; and (5) lodge a complaint with national data protection authorities regarding our processing of your personal data.
Deleting your account removes all messages, media, contacts and every other piece of data you store in the Telegram cloud.
Qualifications & exceptions
The rights apply "in certain circumstances" and under "applicable" legislation, which the policy does not name.
Not stated here
The policy does not say whether, or in which circumstances, these rights are available to users in the United States, or whether rights under US state privacy laws are covered.
Account & Service Control · Procedure
To exercise your rights, use the contact details in section 12; EEA users can also use the EDPO representative
To exercise these rights, Telegram says to use the contact details in section 12. Section 12 points to the FAQ and to Telegram's Volunteer Support, reached in the app through Settings > Ask a Question, and says that people in the EU who want to submit a GDPR-related request should "see here". Section 1.4 separately names EDPO as the EEA representative for GDPR queries, with an online form and a Brussels postal address.
Supporting quotations
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, kindly use the contact details in section 12 below.
If you have any questions please feel free to explore our
or contact Telegram's Volunteer Support in-app via Settings > Ask a Question.
If you live in the EU and would like to submit a GDPR-related request, please see here.
pursuant to Article 27 of the GDPR. You can direct to EDPO any of your GDPR-related queries:
by using EDPO’s online request form at
by writing to EDPO at Avenue Huart Hamoir 71, 1030 Brussels, Belgium.
Qualifications & exceptions
The EDPO route is stated for people who live in the EEA, and the "see here" request route for people who live in the EU.
Not stated here
The target of the "see here" link is not visible in the saved text, and no response deadline or verification process for rights requests is described.
Account & Service Control · User right or choice
Data Settings in the mobile apps let you control how your data is used, for example delete synced contacts
You can control how your data is used, for example by deleting synced contacts, in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings, using one of Telegram's mobile apps.
Supporting quotations
You can control how your data is used (e.g., delete synced contacts) in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings (using one of our mobile apps).
Qualifications & exceptions
The path is described for the mobile apps.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Without accepting Telegram's "modest minimum requirements" it cannot provide the Services; you can delete your account
Telegram says that if you are not OK with its "modest minimum requirements" it will not be possible to provide you with the Services, and that you can delete your Telegram account through the deactivation page.
Supporting quotations
Sadly, if you're not OK with Telegram's modest minimum requirements, it won't be possible for us to provide you with our Services.
You can delete your Telegram account by proceeding to the
Not stated here
The "minimum requirements" are not defined.
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Supporting quotations
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.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Company practice
Changes take effect when posted on the policy page; important changes are notified through Telegram
Telegram says it will review and may update the policy from time to time. Changes become effective when the revised policy is posted on its privacy page, and Telegram asks you to check the website frequently for updates, a summary of which is listed in the policy. Important changes made to the policy will be notified to you via Telegram.
Supporting quotations
We will review and may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on this page
Please check our website frequently to see any updates or changes to our Privacy Policy, a summary of which we will set out below.
Important changes made to this Privacy Policy will be notified to you via Telegram.
Not stated here
No advance-notice period for ordinary changes is stated, and "important changes" is not defined.
Legal Rights & Agreement Rules · Context
The latest listed change (August 21, 2026) concerns advertising tools and geographic limits on ads
The policy's change log ends with an entry dated August 21, 2026, saying the policy was updated to describe geographic limitations and other advertising tools that may affect how ads are displayed. The saved text states no separate effective date for the policy as a whole; the change log is its only dated information. Earlier entries (2019 to 2024) include changes to message deletion, locations, login emails, translation and transcription, the EEA representative, optional profile data, Telegram Business chatbots, law-enforcement disclosure and account self-destruction, among others.
Supporting quotations
August 21, 2026
The Privacy Policy was updated to describe geographic limitations and other advertising tools that may affect the ways how ads are displayed.
Qualifications & exceptions
The log entry does not name the sections it affects.
Not stated here
The entry does not say which regions the "geographic limitations" cover.
Account & Service Control · Procedure
Questions can go to the FAQ or Telegram's Volunteer Support in the app; EU users have a GDPR request page
For questions, Telegram points to its FAQ and to Telegram's Volunteer Support, reached in the app through Settings > Ask a Question. It adds that people who live in the EU and want to submit a GDPR-related request should "see here"; the link behind "here" is not visible in the saved text.
Supporting quotations
If you have any questions please feel free to explore our
or contact Telegram's Volunteer Support in-app via Settings > Ask a Question.
If you live in the EU and would like to submit a GDPR-related request, please see here.
Not stated here
The destination of the "see here" link and the process it leads to are not shown in the saved text.
Security & Safeguards · Company practice
Telegram says it is open source and points to published code for checking app-store builds
Telegram says it is an open source project and points to more information on its API, Bot Platform, protocol and source code. It also points to a page for confirming that Telegram apps downloaded from app stores use the same code that Telegram publishes (reproducible builds).
Supporting quotations
Telegram is an open source project. You can find more information on our:
API at:
Bot Platform at:
Protocol at:
Source Code at:
Confirm that Telegram apps downloaded from app stores are using the same code that we publish at:
Not stated here
The link targets are not part of the saved text, so which components are published and what the verification covers are not shown here.