Is Telegram Safe? Privacy and Security Features

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Online privacy and data security growing concerns make many vigilantly watch their messaging apps. One of the safe messaging alternatives with a better number is Telegram. Therefore, the question still arises: Is Telegram safe? Here is a report on its features regarding privacy and safety along with some possible concerns you should be aware of in this article.

End-to-End Encryption: How Secure Is It?

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Other platforms such as Telegram, that has its encryption enabled by default, end-up resorting to the use of its Secret Chats feature for end-to-end encryption. Which means that the messages sent through regular chats on the platform are encrypted server-side but aren’t fully protected when transferred between sender and recipient.

Secret Chats: Secret Chats are designed for those who require extra privacy. This mode encrypts messages on the device level and does not save them on Telegram servers. In addition, such messages can’t be forwarded, and users can even set the time duration after which a message will be self-destructive. So, is Telegram safe with its Secret Chats feature? Many users believe it offers an extra layer of security.

Telegram’s Cloud-Based Model: Convenience vs. Privacy

The work of Telegram will be found in a cloud-architecture, in which all regular chat messages are kept on servers. All this allows users to access the same chats and media on multiple devices and smoothly. Though this is a very convenient feature, it comes with some interesting security trade-offs. Is Telegram safe in this regard? Messages are stored on Telegram’s servers, and the company holds the decryption keys, thus giving them access to users’ communications. They claim, however, that they do not avail themselves of this in any form of monitoring or data collection.

This server-side encryption still protects messages from having to be intercepted by third parties, but isn’t the same as end-to-end encryption, where the message could only be read by the sender and the recipient. In short, if you feel that your messages might be accessed by Telegram or breached in servers, then you should be relying on Secret Chats.

Data Privacy: What Information Does Telegram Collect

The main privacy policy of Telegram emphasizes the fact that user data is not monetized and not shared with third parties. Basic data like phone numbers and IP addresses are collected by Telegram in order to handle accounts and combat spam but they are not shared with third-party advertisers and other services. Moreover, in addition to that, Telegram maintains its servers in various legal jurisdictions so as not to be pressured by requests for local surveillance.

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Of course, because Telegram is cloud-based, this still means it depends on collecting user data to run. Metadata, like from whom you’re chatting and the frequency, could be assembled and used. Although Telegram claims to minimize user data collection and storage, no cloud-based service is completely risk-free.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

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Another of the strong security measures of Telegram is two-factor authentication. This means two steps of authentication, one of which is your mobile number and a password added to secure access to your account through a new device. For this reason, 2FA is necessary in securing your account as long as someone tries to hijack your phone number for access.

Secret Chats: Extra Security Features

Telegram’s Secret Chats offer more than just encryption. Some of the key security features include:

  • Self-Destruct Timers: You can set messages to disappear after a specified period.
  • Screenshot Notifications: If someone takes a screenshot of your Secret Chat, you’ll be notified immediately.
  • Non-Forwardable Messages: Messages in Secret Chats cannot be forwarded, adding a layer of protection from unauthorized sharing.

These features make Secret Chats ideal for sensitive conversations, but keep in mind that they’re not available for group chats or desktop clients.

Criticisms of Telegram’s Security

Though many praise Telegram for its robust features on the privacy front, there are also criticisms against this app. One of the major criticisms is that MTProto, Telegram’s proprietary encryption protocol, hasn’t been tested to the same extent as open-source encryption protocols like Signal or WhatsApp. Due to this, many cryptography experts have expressed their grave concern about the reliability and security of its solution, especially when considering third-party versions like Telegram premium mod apk, which may compromise security further.

Another is that regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted, so Telegram holds access to the encryption keys for those conversations. This raises the question, is Telegram safe when it comes to potential government demands for user information? That’s alarming if one ever considers the possibility of governments making such demands on Telegram to share user data.

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FAQS

Telegram offers end-to-end encryption in its Secret Chats feature. However, regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted and are stored on Telegram’s servers with server-side encryption.

To start a Secret Chat, open a conversation with the contact, tap on their name, and choose the option “Start Secret Chat.” This will ensure your messages are encrypted end-to-end. If you are wondering is Telegram safe, enabling Secret Chats adds an extra layer of privacy to your conversations.

Telegram cannot read messages sent through Secret Chats since they are end-to-end encrypted. However, regular chats are stored on Telegram’s servers and are encrypted with a server-side key, which Telegram technically has access to.

Telegram collects Basic Data like your phone number and IP address. It also logs metadata, such as who you interact with and the duration of your conversations. However, it claims not to share this data with third parties or advertisers.

You can protect your account by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a password in addition to your mobile number when logging in on a new device.

If you delete your account, all your messages, contacts, and groups will be permanently deleted. This process is irreversible, and you cannot recover any data afterward.

Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted, meaning only the sender and receiver can read the messages. Regular chats, however, are encrypted on Telegram’s servers but not during transmission, meaning Telegram can technically access them.

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