Telegram
- The documents do not say whether your data trains AI.
- Your data is used to target ads at you; you can opt out.
- Data is shared only with the providers who run the service.
- The policy describes staff access for safety and legal checks.
Cloud chats are stored encrypted; they skip chat-based ads, but moderators can read reported messages and ads use public activity.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Phone number, public profile, cloud messages, contacts if you sync, plus IP and device metadata.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“You provide your mobile number and basic account data (which may include profile name, profile picture and about information) to create a Telegram account.”
Training
They run the app, fight spam, and show public-channel ads from language, country, and channels you follow.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We don't use the contents of any of your chats or contact lists to show you ads.”
Sharing
Other users you chat with, group companies, bots you use, and Google or Microsoft if you tap Translate.
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Privacy policy
“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.”
Kept
Cloud data stays until you delete it; unused accounts go after 18 months; spam metadata up to 12 months.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“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.”
Controls
You can stop contact sync, turn off frequent-contact suggestions, and delete your account on the deactivation page.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“You can always stop syncing contacts or delete them from our servers in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings.”
Fine print
Policy updates go live when posted; important ones may be sent in Telegram. Lawsuit and refund rules are not here.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on this page www.telegram.org/privacy.”
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Stop syncing or delete contacts
Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings
Turn off frequent-contact suggestions
Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings and disable “Suggest Frequent Contacts”
Delete your account
the deactivation page
Clear payment and shipping info
Telegram Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings and selecting ‘Clear Payment & Shipping Info’
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
If someone reports your message, a human at Telegram can read it.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“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.”
For example, if a stranger reports your DM as spam, a moderator can open that message.
Which public channels you follow can be used to pick ads in other public places.
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Privacy policy
“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.”
For example, following many finance channels could show finance ads in a different big channel.
Talking to a bot or adding one to a group sends your info to that bot’s maker, not just Telegram.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“By performing any of these actions, you will be sending some of your data to the respective third-party bot developers.”
For example, messaging a weather bot can give that company your public name and what you typed.
If you tap voice-to-text, Google can get that audio clip.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“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.”
For example, converting a voice note to text can send that recording to Google for transcription.
With a valid court-style order in a crime case that also breaks their rules, they may give police your IP and phone number.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“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.”
For example, they might hand over your number and IP if a court order names you as a suspect.
Normal chats live on Telegram’s servers, not only on your phone.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“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.”
For example, a photo you send in a regular chat is kept in their cloud so you can open it on a new phone.
They say private messages and your address book are not used to target ads.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We don't use the contents of any of your chats or contact lists to show you ads.”
For example, talking about bikes in a private chat should not make bike ads appear from that chat.
Secret chats stay off their cloud and use keys only you and the other person have.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We do not store your secret chats on our servers.”
For example, a secret-chat photo is not sitting in your cloud history on a new device.
You can wipe your cloud account, but you must use their deactivation page and it cannot be undone.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“If you would like to delete your account, you can do this on the deactivation page. Deleting your account removes all messages, media, contacts and every other piece of data you store in the Telegram cloud.”
For example, after you confirm deletion, your cloud chats and contacts on their servers are removed.
New privacy rules can start as soon as they put them on the website.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Any changes to this Privacy Policy will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Policy on this page www.telegram.org/privacy.”
For example, if they add a new ad practice, it can apply once the page is updated, even if you missed the post.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- human review
- Company staff or contractors may read your messages or content, usually to check for rule breaking. For example, a flagged private chat with an AI can be read by a person at the company.
- third parties
- Any company or person other than you and the app, such as advertisers, partners or analytics firms. For example, an analytics company that receives a record of every screen you tap is a third party.
How we got here · grade C · score 48/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 6 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect your number, profile, cloud messages, optional contacts and location, plus IP, devices, and username-change history for security.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
Voice notes in cloud chats are stored. If you tap voice-to-text, the audio may be sent to Google for transcription.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
Not stated in the documents.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
They say moderators may read messages that recipients report for spam or abuse.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
Public ads can use language, phone/IP country, and channels you follow. Premium users do not see ads. Private chats are not used.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They share with group companies, payment providers, translation vendors, and bots you use. They say ad targeting data is not given to advertisers.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
Not stated in the documents.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
You delete the account on a deactivation page; they do not give a 30- or 90-day wipe clock. Inactive accounts go after 18 months by default.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
They keep a frequent-contacts rating for search suggestions, and you can turn it off and delete that data in Settings.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They describe heavy encryption, split keys, and that local engineers cannot read stored data. No independent audit is named.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
Not stated in the documents.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The policy has dated change notes. Changes take effect when posted; they say important changes will be notified in Telegram.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
Not stated in the documents.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
Not stated in the documents.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
Not stated in the documents.
The privacy policy is 5,272 words at a fairly hard level (Flesch reading ease 55.4).
