Telegram and data protection

Telegram was founded by Pavel and Nikolai Durov; the company is based in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Telegram is popular above all as a platform for channels and large groups. As a private messenger, it has clear weaknesses from a data protection point of view.

In brief

• Not end-to-end encrypted by default: normal chats and all groups are stored on Telegram’s servers, and Telegram can technically read them.
• Only “secret chats” are end-to-end encrypted. You have to start them deliberately for each one-to-one chat; they are not available for groups.
• Phone number required: you can hide it from other users, but Telegram itself knows it.
• Disclosure to authorities: since September 2024, according to its privacy policy, Telegram hands over the phone number and IP address of suspects to the authorities if there is a valid order.
• The apps are open source; the server software is not.

What this means for you

For public channels and information, Telegram is unproblematic. For confidential conversations, you should not use Telegram, or only with secret chats – or switch to Signal or Threema.

How to use Telegram in a more privacy-friendly way

The labels may differ slightly depending on the app version.

1. Use secret chats: open the contact → profile → “Start secret chat”.
2. Hide your phone number: Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone number → “Nobody”; “Who can find me by my number?” → “My contacts”.
3. Two-step verification: Settings → Privacy and Security → Two-step verification (additional password).
4. Turn off contact sync: Settings → Privacy and Security → Sync contacts.
5. Secure your calls: under “Calls”, set peer-to-peer to “Nobody” so that your IP address is not passed on to the person you are talking to.
6. Groups and profile: decide who may add you to groups and see your profile photo.

Further reading

• Messengers compared

Sources

• Telegram: Privacy policy
• Telegram: FAQ on secret chats
• teltarif.de: Telegram hands over data to the authorities (2024)