Telegram
Contents8
| Basic Information | |
|---|---|
| Release Year | 2013 |
| Product Type | Software, Messaging Client |
| In Production | Yes |
| Official Website | https://telegram.org/ |
Telegram is an instant messaging (IM) app created in 2013 by Pavel Durov and Nikolai Durov. The company was originally founded on the British Virgin Islands and has an LLC in Dubai since 2017.
Consumer impact summary
User Privacy
Telegram does not sell user data to advertise to its clients, and only stores the data needed to moderate and keep its messaging client "secure and feature-rich"[1].
Telegram has official clients for most major platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and web browsers. Telegram also officially allows custom clients, with some restrictions, mostly related to normal functioning of its official features (sponsored messages, online status visibility, self-destructing content).[2]
Messages are only encrypted in transit between clients and servers by default. End-to-end encrypted chats are available as a distinct feature called "Secret Chats"[3] with reduced functionality (e. g. no message synchronization between devices) and limited platform support (e. g. it's not supported on desktop clients) compared to normal ("Cloud") chats.
Business Model
Telegram offers a subscription service called Telegram Premium. This an optional service that will allow you to have extra features that are paywalled behind this subscription, such as larger uploads, faster download speeds and premium stickers and emojis. This subscription also includes minor privacy features such as the ability to hide one's "last seen" time and online status unilaterally (i. e. from those that do not hide it from them).
Telegram also operates an advertising platform Telegram Ads which displays sponsored messages in public channels that have 1000 or more subscribers.[4]
Market Control
Telegram has a huge market in Russia, India and Brazil. In Russia, 51% of users use Telegram[5] and in India, 48% of the population uses Telegram[6]. In the USA, only 9% uses this platform.
In a global view, Telegram is the 4th most popular mobile messaging client as of 2024, with 950 million users[7], ahead of Snapchat and just behind Facebook Messenger.
Despite growing consistently in clients, Telegram now faces scrutiny in India and a potential ban, which would very negatively affect its user numbers.[8]
Incidents
This messaging client has multiple incidents of selling data, and history of being a hub for bad actors, a gateway to share CSAM, and having drug trafficking and terrorism on its platform.
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the Telegram category.
Sudden change of stance on sharing data when pressured (2024)
Telegram was known for not selling information, and having a pretty tight fist on its clients data and information, even towards the authorities.[9] After Pavel Durov's arrest in France in 2024, Telegram started sharing user data, IP addresses, and phone numbers more freely to the authorities for criminal investigations, and to governments that requested such data.
See also
References
- ↑ "Telegram Privacy Policy". Telegram Privacy Policy. Archived from the original on 1 Sep 2025. Retrieved 23 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "Telegram API Terms of Service". Telegram. Archived from the original on 2 Nov 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
- ↑ "Telegram FAQ: So how do you encrypt data?". Telegram. Archived from the original on 10 Jan 2026.
- ↑ "Telegram Ad Platform Explained". Telegram Ads. Archived from the original on 17 Oct 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
- ↑ "The audience of Internet users, social networks, messengers and VPN services". Levada-Center. 14 Jun 2024. Archived from the original on 4 Jul 2024. Retrieved 23 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "Messenger usage by brand". Statista. Archived from the original on 24 Feb 2026.
- ↑ Ceci, Laura (21 Feb 2025). "Most popular global mobile messenger apps as of February 2025, based on number of monthly active users". Statista. Archived from the original on 9 Mar 2025. Retrieved 23 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "Telegram Ban Update - Is Telegram Banned in India?". SG Analytics. 2024-08-29. Archived from the original on 2025-05-13. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Duffy, Clare (23 Sep 2024). "After CEO's arrest, Telegram says it will now turn some bad actors' data over to law enforcement". CNN. Archived from the original on 23 Sep 2024. Retrieved 23 Aug 2025.