What Data Does Telegram Collect From Users?
Posted: Thu May 29, 2025 5:18 am
A popular messaging app, has built its reputation on privacy and security. However, like any online service, it requires and collects certain user data to function. Understanding precisely what information Telegram gathers is crucial for users to make informed decisions about their digital privacy.
At its most basic, Telegram requires a phone number for telegram data account registration. This serves as your unique identifier on the platform. It's how your contacts can find you, and how you receive authentication codes. While Telegram doesn't actively ask for your real name, gender, or age, your chosen profile name, profile picture, and username (if you set one) are always public. This allows others to recognize and connect with you.
Beyond the initial registration, Telegram's data collection can be categorized into several areas:
1. Basic Account and Contact Information:
Mobile Number: Essential for account creation and identification.
Profile Name, Profile Picture, and Username: Publicly displayed information that helps others find and identify you.
About Information: Optional self-description.
Contacts: Telegram requests access to your device's contacts. It stores these to notify you when your contacts join Telegram and to display names correctly in notifications. Telegram states it only stores the number and name (first and last) and no other data about your contacts. You can opt to stop syncing contacts or delete them from Telegram's servers in your settings.
2. Metadata and Usage Data:
IP Address: Telegram logs your IP address, which is used for service operation and to detect and prevent spam or abuse. This can be stored for up to 12 months.
Device Information: Details about the devices and Telegram apps you use to access the service.
History of Username Changes: Records of any changes you make to your username.
Usage Patterns: Aggregated metadata from users may be used to develop new features and improve the service.
Message Data (for Cloud Chats): While the content of regular "cloud chats" is encrypted in transit and at rest on Telegram's servers, Telegram technically holds the encryption keys for these chats. This means that, in principle, Telegram could access the content of these chats if legally compelled or if they were to investigate spam/abuse. They claim to purge this data periodically to save disk space.
3. Optional Data:
Email Address: If you enable two-step verification or use Telegram Passport, you can provide an email for password recovery. Separately, from September 2022, Telegram may ask some users for an email to receive login codes instead of SMS. This email is stored separately and used only for authentication.
Birthday: You can optionally add your birthday to your profile and control who can see it. This may be used to determine eligibility for age-specific content.
Fixed Location and Opening Hours: Telegram Business subscribers can add this information, which is always public.
4. Data Shared with Bots and Mini Apps:
When you interact with a Telegram bot or mini-app, they can acquire certain data. This typically includes your Telegram user ID, public Telegram name, username, profile picture, and client language. Depending on how the mini-app is launched, it might also receive information about your chat partner or the group/channel it was opened in. It's crucial to remember that this data is shared with the third-party developer of the bot or mini-app, and their own privacy policies govern its handling. Telegram does not have access to or control over data shared directly between users and these third-party services.
5. Law Enforcement and Data Disclosure:
Historically, Telegram was known for its strong resistance to government data requests. However, following recent legal pressures and the arrest of its CEO, Pavel Durov, Telegram has updated its privacy policy. The company now states it may disclose user IP addresses and phone numbers to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests that confirm a user is suspected of criminal activities that violate Telegram's Terms of Service, particularly in cases involving terrorism or serious cybercrime. Telegram plans to release transparency reports detailing such disclosures.
In summary, Telegram aims to collect only essential data for its service. While it offers end-to-end encryption for "Secret Chats" where no data is stored on its servers, standard "cloud chats" are encrypted but theoretically accessible by Telegram. Furthermore, recent policy changes indicate a greater willingness to share basic identifying data (IP address, phone number) with law enforcement under specific legal conditions.
At its most basic, Telegram requires a phone number for telegram data account registration. This serves as your unique identifier on the platform. It's how your contacts can find you, and how you receive authentication codes. While Telegram doesn't actively ask for your real name, gender, or age, your chosen profile name, profile picture, and username (if you set one) are always public. This allows others to recognize and connect with you.
Beyond the initial registration, Telegram's data collection can be categorized into several areas:
1. Basic Account and Contact Information:
Mobile Number: Essential for account creation and identification.
Profile Name, Profile Picture, and Username: Publicly displayed information that helps others find and identify you.
About Information: Optional self-description.
Contacts: Telegram requests access to your device's contacts. It stores these to notify you when your contacts join Telegram and to display names correctly in notifications. Telegram states it only stores the number and name (first and last) and no other data about your contacts. You can opt to stop syncing contacts or delete them from Telegram's servers in your settings.
2. Metadata and Usage Data:
IP Address: Telegram logs your IP address, which is used for service operation and to detect and prevent spam or abuse. This can be stored for up to 12 months.
Device Information: Details about the devices and Telegram apps you use to access the service.
History of Username Changes: Records of any changes you make to your username.
Usage Patterns: Aggregated metadata from users may be used to develop new features and improve the service.
Message Data (for Cloud Chats): While the content of regular "cloud chats" is encrypted in transit and at rest on Telegram's servers, Telegram technically holds the encryption keys for these chats. This means that, in principle, Telegram could access the content of these chats if legally compelled or if they were to investigate spam/abuse. They claim to purge this data periodically to save disk space.
3. Optional Data:
Email Address: If you enable two-step verification or use Telegram Passport, you can provide an email for password recovery. Separately, from September 2022, Telegram may ask some users for an email to receive login codes instead of SMS. This email is stored separately and used only for authentication.
Birthday: You can optionally add your birthday to your profile and control who can see it. This may be used to determine eligibility for age-specific content.
Fixed Location and Opening Hours: Telegram Business subscribers can add this information, which is always public.
4. Data Shared with Bots and Mini Apps:
When you interact with a Telegram bot or mini-app, they can acquire certain data. This typically includes your Telegram user ID, public Telegram name, username, profile picture, and client language. Depending on how the mini-app is launched, it might also receive information about your chat partner or the group/channel it was opened in. It's crucial to remember that this data is shared with the third-party developer of the bot or mini-app, and their own privacy policies govern its handling. Telegram does not have access to or control over data shared directly between users and these third-party services.
5. Law Enforcement and Data Disclosure:
Historically, Telegram was known for its strong resistance to government data requests. However, following recent legal pressures and the arrest of its CEO, Pavel Durov, Telegram has updated its privacy policy. The company now states it may disclose user IP addresses and phone numbers to relevant authorities in response to valid legal requests that confirm a user is suspected of criminal activities that violate Telegram's Terms of Service, particularly in cases involving terrorism or serious cybercrime. Telegram plans to release transparency reports detailing such disclosures.
In summary, Telegram aims to collect only essential data for its service. While it offers end-to-end encryption for "Secret Chats" where no data is stored on its servers, standard "cloud chats" are encrypted but theoretically accessible by Telegram. Furthermore, recent policy changes indicate a greater willingness to share basic identifying data (IP address, phone number) with law enforcement under specific legal conditions.