Telegram Privacy Policy

This is Telegram's privacy policy explaining what data the messaging app collects and how it uses it. The most important thing to know is that your regular cloud chat messages, photos, and videos are stored on Telegram's servers in encrypted form and can be accessed by Telegram, while only Secret Chats use true end-to-end encryption that Telegram cannot read. If you want maximum privacy, use Secret Chats for sensitive conversations, and you can delete synced contacts and payment information in Settings > Privacy & Security > Data Settings.

This document is Telegram's Privacy Policy governing the collection, processing, and sharing of personal data by Telegram Messenger Inc. in connection with its cloud-based messaging services, relying primarily on legitimate interests under GDPR Art. 6(1)(f) as its legal basis for processing. The policy creates obligations for Telegram to store cloud chat messages, photos, videos, and documents on encrypted servers, disclose IP addresses and phone numbers to judicial authorities upon valid legal orders, and share audio data with Google LLC for Premium voice-to-text transcription. Notable deviations from industry standard include the explicit disclaimer that Telegram bears no responsibility for payment disputes (shifting liability entirely to bot developers and payment providers), and the absence of advertising-based data processing, which is atypical for a platform of this scale. The policy engages GDPR (including Art. 27 EEA representative requirement, satisfied via EDPO), UK data protection law, and potentially CCPA for California residents; material compliance considerations include the BVI and Dubai-based group company data transfers relying on EU Standard Contractual Clauses, the absence of a dedicated Data Protection Officer reference, and Telegram's use of legitimate interests rather than consent as its primary lawful basis, which may face scrutiny under GDPR balancing tests.