Telegram

What is Telegram?

Telegram is a cloud-based messaging app offering text, voice and video calls, group chats (up to 200,000 members), channels (broadcast to unlimited subscribers), bots, and file sharing (up to 2 GB). The app offers “Secret Chats” with end-to-end encryption, but regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default — they are stored on Telegram’s servers. Telegram is known for minimal content moderation and a strong anti-censorship stance.

Age limit: 16 years (but poorly enforced).

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.
• Bot ecosystem. Games, utilities, and AI bots make the app entertaining and useful.
• File sharing. School materials, videos, and other files up to 2 GB can be shared easily.
• Perceived as more private than WhatsApp. Many assume everything is encrypted (it is not by default).
• Usernames instead of phone numbers. You don’t need to share your phone number to communicate.
• Stickers and customisation. A large selection of stickers makes conversations more fun.

What are the real risks?

• Minimal content moderation. Extremist content, piracy, and explicit material are accessible via channels and groups.
• Public groups and channels are easily searchable. Including inappropriate ones — a simple search can surface harmful content.
• Strangers can find users. Through phone numbers or usernames, unknown people can make contact.
• Regular chats are not end-to-end encrypted. Only “Secret Chats” are — this is a common misconception among users.
• Bots can be malicious. Malware or scams can hide behind seemingly useful bots.
• Forwarded messages can reveal the sender. Information about the original sender can be included.
• “People Nearby” reveals location. This feature shows other Telegram users in the area.
• Self-destructing messages give false security. Recipients can still take screenshots.
• Massive groups are difficult to moderate. Content in large groups can be unpredictable.

Settings to check

1. Phone number — who can see it: Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone Number → set to “Nobody”.
2. Who can find you by phone number: Settings → Privacy and Security → Phone Number → “Who can find me” → set to “My Contacts”.
3. Who can message you: Settings → Privacy and Security → Messages → adjust who can contact you.
4. Disable “People Nearby”: Settings → Privacy and Security → turn off “People Nearby” (or simply don’t open the feature).
5. Username: Choose the username carefully — it is publicly searchable.
6. Two-step verification: Settings → Privacy and Security → Two-Step Verification → enable with a strong password.
7. Auto-delete account: Settings → Privacy and Security → Auto-Delete → set the time period.
8. Disable auto-download: Settings → Data and Storage → turn off automatic media downloads.
9. Active sessions: Settings → Devices → review and terminate unknown sessions.
10. Passcode lock: Settings → Privacy and Security → Passcode Lock → enable for extra security.

How to talk about it

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

“Did you know that regular Telegram chats are not actually encrypted the same way as Secret Chats? Let’s look at the difference together.”

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

Last reviewed: March 2026