Telegram

What is Telegram?

Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app with text, voice and video calls, group chats (up to 200,000 members), and broadcast channels. Users can share files and interact with automated bots. “Secret Chats” use end-to-end encryption, but regular chats are stored on Telegram’s servers and are not end-to-end encrypted by default. Telegram moderates illegal content (CSAM, terrorism, illegal goods) using AI tools and user reports, but applies limited moderation to general public content.

Age limit: 18 years in EU, UK and Australia (Telegram Terms of Service). No age verification is required to create an account.

Why do kids like it?

• Massive group chats. Groups can have up to 200,000 members, making it easy to join communities around gaming, school, or interests.
• Channels for content. News, memes, music, and entertainment are shared through subscribable channels.
• Privacy by default. Users communicate via usernames without sharing phone numbers, and the app’s reputation for encryption appeals to privacy-conscious teens.
• Bots and utilities. Games, AI bots, and file sharing make the app useful beyond messaging.

What are the real risks?

• Limited moderation of public content. Telegram actively removes illegal material including CSAM and terrorism content, but general public channels and groups can host extremist, pirated, and explicit material with limited oversight.
• Strangers can contact and locate users. Through usernames, phone number lookups, and the “People Nearby” feature, unknown people can find and message users.
• Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Only “Secret Chats” use end-to-end encryption — standard chats use server-side encryption, which many users do not realise.
• Malicious bots and scam links. The open bot platform means malware, phishing, and scams can hide behind seemingly useful bots.

Settings to check

• Hide phone number: Set Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone Number → visibility to “Nobody” and “Who can find me by number” to “My Contacts”.
• Restrict who can message: Set Settings → Privacy and Security → Messages to contacts only, preventing strangers from initiating chats.
• Disable People Nearby: Turn off Settings → Privacy and Security → People Nearby to prevent location-based discovery by other users.
• Enable Two-Step Verification: Set Settings → Privacy and Security → Two-Step Verification with a strong password to protect account access.

How to talk about it

“I see you’re using Telegram — what makes you prefer it over other apps?”

“How do you decide which conversations to have in regular chats versus Secret Chats?”

“Are you in any large groups? It can be hard to know who everyone is when there are thousands of members.”

Last reviewed: April 2026