Telegram is a cloud messaging platform, reviewed for cloud chats, Secret Chats, sharing, tracking, retention, and user controls.
85
Good
85
Good
Telegram avoids a classic ad profile, but ordinary chats stay in the cloud unless you deliberately switch to Secret Chats.
Telegram is strongest where it avoids broad ad profiling and still gives users solid controls for visibility, deletion, and account cleanup.
Its weakest area is retention: most chats are cloud-stored by default, and privacy drops sharply outside Secret Chats and tight visibility settings.
85
Good
Telegram says it stores only the data needed to function as a secure and feature-rich messaging service.
Secret Chats provide a stronger privacy mode than the default cloud-chat model.
Telegram says it does not use user data to build advertising profiles.
80
Good
85
Good
75
Good
85
Good
Telegram Privacy Page
Open: telegram.org1. Telegram Stores
Telegram says it stores only the data needed to function as a secure and feature-rich messaging service.
2. AI Use
Secret Chats provide a stronger privacy mode than the default cloud-chat model.
3. Tracking
Telegram says it does not use user data to build advertising profiles.
4. Controls
Cloud messages, media, and contacts can still be stored by Telegram unless users choose modes and settings carefully.
Founded
Unknown
Founder
Unknown
Parent Company
Telegram
Lifecycle
Active
Category
Communication & Meetings
CEO
Unknown
Security Team
In house
Date Added
05-18-2026
Once you delete a chat, you cannot recover it. Deleting a chat removes it both from your visible chat history and the system after the retention window.
Cloud messages, media, and contacts can still be stored by Telegram unless users choose modes and settings carefully.
80
Good
Telegram says it does not use user data to show ads.
Secret Chats and device choices can keep some sensitive conversations outside Telegram's ordinary cloud-storage paths.
The privacy policy is explicit about where cloud-chat data is stored and why.
Phone numbers, public usernames, bots, groups, contacts, and legal requests can still create exposure beyond one private chat window.
85
Good
Telegram says it does not track users, build profiles, or sell data to advertisers.
The only cookies Telegram says it uses are those needed to operate web services.
Secret Chats and tighter privacy settings let users reduce some cloud-side behavioral exposure further.
Cloud messaging metadata and account data are still processed to operate the service.
75
Good
Deleting an account removes messages, media, contacts, and other data stored in the Telegram cloud.
Secret Chats and user-controlled device storage can reduce the amount of cloud content that persists.
Users can delete synced contacts and manage data settings directly.
Cloud-chat copies, public or group content, and copies held by other participants can remain outside one user's deletion action.
85
Good
Users can delete accounts, manage data settings, and delete synced contacts.
Secret Chats give users a distinct privacy-preserving mode for sensitive conversations.
Profile, phone-number, and contact-sync behavior can be managed by the user.
Default cloud chats are not equivalent to Secret Chats and can leave users with a weaker privacy posture if they never review the settings.
