Telegram's Data Philosophy and Privacy Claims

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Voice and Video Chat Records: If a voice/video chat in a group or channel is recorded by an admin, that recording becomes a media file associated with the group/channel's data, not directly with the individual user's account data, unless they are the one sharing it.
4. Technical and Device Data
IP Addresses: Logged by Telegram's servers for connection management and security purposes (e.g., detecting suspicious logins).
Device Information: Type of device, operating system, app version. This is used for optimizing the app experience and troubleshooting.
Session Information: Details about each active login session, including location (IP-based), device, and login time.
Telegram has built its brand around a strong privacy stance, often contrasting itself with other messaging apps. Key aspects of its data philosophy include:

No Data for Advertising: Telegram explicitly states it does not use user data for targeted telegram data advertising. Any ads (sponsored messages) in large public channels are context-based, not user-data-driven.
Minimal Data Retention: Telegram claims to only retain data for as long as necessary to provide the service. For instance, temporary server logs might be purged regularly.
Distributed Infrastructure: As mentioned, the cloud chat data and encryption keys are distributed across various jurisdictions, aiming to make it difficult for any single government to compel access to all data.
Zero-Disclosure Policy (Historic): Telegram has historically stated it has provided "0 bytes of user data" to third parties, including governments. However, as of late 2024, there have been reports indicating a shift in this stance, where Telegram might share IP addresses and phone numbers with authorities only if legally compelled by a valid court order in cases of confirmed terrorism. This is a significant nuance from their previous absolute claim and highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing privacy with legal demands. Crucially, Telegram still maintains that it has never disclosed the content of messages due to its encryption methods.
User Control: Telegram provides extensive user-configurable privacy settings, allowing individuals to control who sees their last seen status, phone number, profile picture, and who can add them to groups.