Telegram's privacy policy was updated on August 22, 2026 to clarify and expand its advertising practices. The updated terms specify that ads are not based on the contents of private chats or contact lists, but may be shown in public channels (with 1,000+ subscribers), bots, stories, and search results based on channel topic, search terms, or approximate geographic location derived from phone number area code or IP address. The revised language also introduces new disclosure about how users following large public channels may see category-based ads, and states that targeting data is never passed to advertisers.
The updated terms clarify that Telegram does not use the contents of private chats or contact lists for ad targeting, a commitment that was already stated in the prior language but is now more explicitly defined. The revised policy discloses that ads may appear in public channels with 1,000 or more subscribers, in bots, stories, and search results based on channel topic, search terms, or approximate geographic location derived from phone area code or IP address. The updated terms state that this targeting data is never passed to advertisers. Premium subscribers continue to see no ads and are unaffected by the ad platform.
Reaffirmed and clarified that ad serving does not use the contents of private chats or contact lists.
New disclosure: ads may be geographically targeted based on approximate location from phone area code or IP address, never shared with advertisers.
New disclosure: users following large public channels may see category-based ads in other channels; this data is not passed to advertisers.
This change record describes what was added, removed, or modified in the document. Analysis reflects what the updated agreement states or permits. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Applicability may vary by jurisdiction. Methodology
Wording edits to this record that do not change what it claims. Changes to a claim are published as corrections.
This change represents a clarification and expansion of disclosures regarding Telegram's advertising practices rather than a material expansion of data processing authority. The updated policy explicitly confirms that private chat and contact list contents are …
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