Telegram · Telegram Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Intra-Group Data Sharing with BVI and Dubai Entities

Medium severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Unique · 0 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Telegram can share your personal data with its parent company and affiliates in the British Virgin Islands and Dubai, using standard contractual clauses as the legal mechanism for EEA data transfers.

This analysis describes what Telegram's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

Your personal data may be transferred to entities in jurisdictions that do not have EU adequacy decisions, meaning the legal protection depends on the quality and enforcement of the standard contractual clauses in place.

Interpretive note: The adequacy of the standard contractual clauses for transfers to BVI and UAE depends on undisclosed transfer impact assessments and supplementary measures that are not described in the policy, creating uncertainty about practical compliance with GDPR Chapter V.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

EEA and UK users' personal data may be shared with Telegram group companies in the British Virgin Islands and Dubai, neither of which has an EU adequacy decision, relying solely on standard contractual clauses as a safeguard that cannot be independently verified by users.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Delete Your Data
    EEA users who wish to request information about the standard contractual clauses governing their data transfers, or to exercise data subject rights, can contact Telegram's EEA representative EDPO at https://edpo.com/telegram-gdpr-data-request/ or by writing to Avenue Huart Hamoir 71, 1030 Brussels, Belgium.

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
To provide, improve and support our Services, we may share your personal data with: (1) our parent company, Telegram Group Inc, located in the British Virgin Islands, (2) Telegraph Inc., a group member also located in the BVI; and (3) Telegram FZ-LLC, a group member located in Dubai. We will implement appropriate safeguards to protect the security and integrity of that personal data. This will take the form of standard contract clauses approved by the European Commission in an agreement between us and our relevant group companies.

— Excerpt from Telegram's Telegram Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly engages GDPR Chapter V on international data transfers, specifically Articles 44-46. Neither the British Virgin Islands nor the UAE (Dubai) hold EU adequacy decisions, meaning standard contractual clauses are the applicable transfer mechanism. Post-Schrems II (Case C-311/18), transfers using SCCs require a transfer impact assessment (TIA) to verify that the destination jurisdiction's law does not undermine the protections afforded by the SCCs. Relevant enforcement authorities are EEA member state data protection authorities and the UK ICO for UK GDPR purposes. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The policy asserts that SCCs are in place but does not describe whether transfer impact assessments have been conducted for BVI or UAE transfers, nor what supplementary measures (if any) are applied. The BVI's legal framework provides limited data protection, and the UAE's Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on Personal Data Protection is relatively new with uncertain equivalence to GDPR standards. This creates ongoing compliance exposure for organizations relying on Telegram for data processing. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EEA and UK users face the highest exposure. UK GDPR's international transfer framework post-Brexit requires separate assessment using UK International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs) or addenda, which the policy does not specifically address for UK users. Organizations in highly regulated sectors transferring employee or client data over Telegram should assess whether these transfers are compatible with their own data export obligations. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Procurement and legal teams should request Telegram's data processing agreement and SCC documentation, as well as any available TIA summaries, as part of vendor due diligence. The absence of publicly available TIA documentation is a gap for vendors conducting thorough GDPR Article 28 assessments. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Data protection officers should verify that Telegram's SCC implementation uses current European Commission standard contractual clauses (2021 versions) and that UK users are covered by appropriate transfer mechanisms. The policy's reference to contacting the EEA representative for more information on SCCs is the recommended action for compliance teams requiring documentation.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • State AG
    State attorneys general in states with comprehensive data privacy laws may have jurisdiction to investigate international data transfers that affect their residents
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US
VPPA
United States Federal

Provision details

Document information
Document
Telegram Privacy Policy
Entity
Telegram
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 18, 2026
Last verified
May 9, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-007309
Document ID
CA-D-00174
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
379a11aff9a58881ad90b36de1e9479fc26a4085619c34a3087b3bd91bfdaaa1
Analysis generated
April 18, 2026 10:46 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Telegram
Document: Telegram Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-007309
Captured: 2026-04-18 10:46:01 UTC
SHA-256: 379a11aff9a58881…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/telegram/telegram-privacy-policy/intra-group-data-sharing-with-bvi-and-dubai-entities/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Telegram's Intra-Group Data Sharing with BVI and Dubai Entities clause do?

Your personal data may be transferred to entities in jurisdictions that do not have EU adequacy decisions, meaning the legal protection depends on the quality and enforcement of the standard contractual clauses in place.

How does this clause affect you?

EEA and UK users' personal data may be shared with Telegram group companies in the British Virgin Islands and Dubai, neither of which has an EU adequacy decision, relying solely on standard contractual clauses as a safeguard that cannot be independently verified by users.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Telegram?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Telegram.