With nearly a billion active monthly users, Telegram is quickly becoming one of the most well-known messaging apps out there. Chances are, you’ve heard of Telegram because of its reputation for being “secure”. It’s basically a blend of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, but with a few extra tricks up its sleeve. This makes it an easy alternative for people looking to quit Meta-owned services due to privacy concerns. But is it really as secure as people say? Or are there some things you should be worried about? Let’s figure it out.
Is Telegram Safe?
The short answer is yes, but there are a few ifs and buts. Telegram does have some solid security and privacy features, no doubt. All the chats are encrypted, so theoretically, no one other than you and your recipient should be able to see them. There’s also “Secret Chats” and self-destructing messages for your super-private conversations. Additionally, Telegram lets you send large files with the same security standards, which is a feature absent in almost every other messaging apps.
However, many critics have raised some major concerns about Telegram for a number of reasons. First, a lot of these safety features are not enabled from the get-go. For example, the messages on Telegram are encrypted, but only Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted. Another issue is that while Telegram often claims to be open source, it’s mostly open on the client side, while the server side remains closed. Which makes a lot of users nervous that maybe Telegram can see your messages. Adding to these concerns, Telegram’s encryption protocol is proprietary, meaning it’s a closed source protocol which is not standard. This has raised many eyebrows among security experts.
Now, even with all these concerns, Telegram is essentially a safe platform for chatting, sharing pictures, or even sending documents. But if you’re dealing with super-sensitive information, you might want to rethink before using this app.
Is Telegram Safe for Kids?
Telegram is not meant for kids. Telegram’s privacy features are not particularly designed for kids or teenagers in mind, and there are no options for parental control or monitoring. Moreover, searchable usernames, unmoderated group chats, and no message restrictions for free users make it less safe for children.
Telegram’s terms of service states that it is most secure for users of the age 16 and above. Apple App Store only allows users ages 17 and above to install the app. Google Play Store recommends parental supervision for Telegram.
Is Telegram Safe for Sending Private Photos?
As all chats in Telegram are encrypted, that makes it a very safe platform for sending photos. However, it’s highly recommended to use Secret Chat for sharing confidential messages, including private photos, since it offers end-to-end encryption. Plus, photos and videos shared in Secret Chat don’t get automatically saved by default.
Telegram also allows you to add a self-destruct timer to your messages, which applies to your photos as well. You can also individually send photos with a timer. Photos sent with a timer in Secret Chat will have screenshot protection. Otherwise, in regular Telegram chat, there is no screenshot protection or notification. So if you really want to send private photos on Telegram, your best bet is to use a timer in Secret Chat.
Is Telegram Safe From the Government and the Police?
Telegram uses their proprietary closed-source encryption protocol, MTProto. This ensures that the chats in the Telegram app should be safe from all prying eyes, including the government and the police. However, while E2EE, the encryption standard found in WhatsApp and Signal works from sender to receiver, MTProto encryption works from device to Telegram server. Many cybersecurity experts find that worrisome as the closed nature of the encryption protocol means we don’t know what happens on the server-side, and for all it matters Telegram could potentially decrypt and see your messages. If that is the case, your messages could also be shared with the government and law enforcement agencies with other data such as your IP address and phone number.
How Secure is Telegram?
Telegram does a number of things right, at least on the surface. It’s committed to privacy and security. All your chats on telegram are encrypted, stopping anyone else from peeking behind the curtain. The MTProto encryption protocol also ensures that your messages remain encrypted even after they reach Telegram’s servers. But if you want added security, Secret Chat on Telegram should be your go-to. This feature provides end-to-end encryption, does not store anything on Telegram’s servers, supports self-destructing messages, cannot be accessed from other devices, and it does not allow forwarding messages. What’s shared in Secret Chat stays in Secret Chat.
Telegram’s encryption protocol’s should keep your messages hidden from your ISP, Wi-Fi spoofers, governments, hackers, third parties, and even Telegram itself. However, it doesn’t end there, you can choose to hide your IP directly from the Telegram using a proxy. This is where Telegram goes a step further than other messaging apps.
To further protect your account, Telegram offers two-step verification. Moreover, you can lock the app with a 4-digit passcode along with biometric options like Face ID and Touch ID. This can keep someone from accessing your chats even if they have your phone in hand.
Telegram also allows you to set your sessions to auto terminate once you’ve been inactive for a certain period of time. Moreover, it also lets you put your account up for deletion automatically if you have been inactive throughout all your devices for a certain number of days.
On top of all these, Telegram offers some paid privacy features. If you subscribe to Telegram Premium, you can get rid of ads in private channels, you can restrict people you don’t know from sending you messages, and you can use stealth mode, which prevents others from knowing when you’ve viewed their stories.
What Are the Potential Risks of Using Telegram?
Now, as great as all these privacy features sound, these are just one sides of the coin. Telegram is encrypted, but the default encryption protocol, MTProto is closed source. And unlike end-to-end encryption where your messages can only be seen by the recipient who shares the same security key as you, with Telegram’s protocol, the messages are encrypted between your device and Telegram’s server. This leaves a potential gap where your data could be exposed. And the use of closed source encryption protocol does not inspire confidence.
Telegrams stores your metadata on their server for up to 12 months. This includes your IP address, username, phone number, contacts, and device details. It should be noted that in case of a data breach, your information could be exposed.
Due to Telegram’s strong privacy features, there are a lot of illicit activities that take place on this platform. Crypto fraud, drug trafficking, pornography distribution are just some of the many illegal activities that are organised in large Telegram groups. And with Telegram allowing up to 200,000 members in groups, there is a potential for these activities to spread even further. Moreover, hackers also use telegram channels for communication and there have been reports of using Telegram bots for phishing activities.
Additionally, Telegram locking essential privacy features like, restricting messages from unknown users behind a paywall is also a cause for concern.
How to Make Telegram Safer for You?
Now, all of Telegram’s potential risks may seem a bit overwhelming, but if you’re just a regular user hoping to connect your friends and family through Telegram, you should be safe if you just adjust a few settings here and there.
As discussed before, Telegram’s default encryption protocol might not be the safest, however, if you use Secret Chat only, you have all your conversations end-to-end encrypted, which is much safer.
Now for added security, do the basics. These few precautions should be taken seriously no matter which app or service you’re using.
- Set up two-step verification
- Create a strong password
- Lock the app with PIN and biometrics
- Use a VPN for added protection from tracking
- Always monitor active sessions
- Delete old messages
- Block and report suspicious users
On top of these features, Telegram lets you add a self-destruct timer for all your messages. It also allows auto-termination of inactive sessions and auto-deletion of inactive accounts. Also, if you don’t want to be discovered by people nearby, you may want to make sure that “People nearby” is turned off. Pick and choose whatever features suit you the most, and you should be safe on the Telegram.
Frequently Asked Questions about Telegram
Is Telegram as Safe as WhatsApp?
Telegram and WhatsApp are both app privacy focused messaging apps, with a lot of identical features. Both of these apps are considered safe due to their robust security features. However, WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for all communications in the app, whereas Telegram does not have E2EE enabled by default, and it is only available for secret chats. This makes WhatsApp safer than Telegram.
Is Telegram Free?
Telegram and all of its major features are free. However, it offers a paid tier called Telegram Premium that include, business features, added limits, unlimited cloud storage with the ability to send larger files, faster download speeds, real-time translations, voice-to text conversion, message privacy, advanced chat features, no ads, and many more features.
Can Telegram Be Tracked?
No, Telegram cannot be tracked. However, for added protection from tracking, you can remove location permission for the Telegram app, and make sure that the “People nearby” feature is turned off. Moreover, you can also use of a proxy to hide your IP natively from the settings of the Telegram app. And it is always a good idea to use a virtual private network (VPN).
Is Telegram Safe From Hackers?
Yes, Telegram is essentially safe from hackers. But no app is 100% safe. So, you may want to take some necessary steps to make it safer. Use two-step verification, add a strong password and a recovery email, and monitor all active sessions. And it is a no-brainer, but never share your password, PIN, or OTP with anyone else.
Wrapping Up
Telegram is safer than a lot of messaging apps out there. However, privacy-wise, WhatsApp and Signal has an edge over this platform. Moreover, closed-source encryption protocol, unmoderated groups, and searchable usernames, make it a questionable platform. Now, if you are just a regular user, you should be just fine using the app for getting in touch with family and friends. However, think twice before sharing private information and sensitive documents in Telegram.
To read more about the safety of other popular messaging apps, check out our articles on WhatsApp and Snapchat. These articles explore the security measures, potential risks, and best practices to help you stay safe while using these platforms.