Who owns it / where is it based? Founded and led by brothers Pavel & Nikolai Durov. The company structure includes Telegram Messenger Inc. (BVI) and Telegram FZ-LLC (Dubai, UAE). Telegram says it passed 1B monthly users in 2025. (Wikipedia)
How safe is it for privacy?
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Regular (“cloud”) chats are not end-to-end encrypted; they’re encrypted client↔server and stored on Telegram’s servers so you can sync devices. (WIRED)
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Secret Chats (1:1 only) are end-to-end encrypted and device-specific; calls are E2EE too. Groups are not E2EE. (Telegram Support Initiative)
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Phone number: required to sign up, but you can hide it and let people reach you via @username (or use Telegram’s paid anonymous numbers). Telegram doesn’t need your email. (Telegram)
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Law-enforcement: since late 2024, Telegram’s policy allows sharing IP address & phone number of users suspected of criminal activity (with a valid court order), and the company now publishes transparency figures that show increased compliance. That’s a real-world privacy consideration. (Telegram)
Bottom line: Great for pseudonymous group life in Aix and casual chats (use settings below to hide your number). For truly sensitive 1-to-1, use Secret Chats—and for maximum default privacy, many experts still prefer Signal.
How “private” is Telegram—really?
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Architecture trade-off: Cloud chats favor convenience (multi-device sync) over maximum secrecy; Secret Chats flip that trade-off. This difference often confuses users. (WIRED)
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Policy reality: Since 2024, Telegram can disclose IP/phone to authorities with a valid court order for criminal cases, and transparency data shows a notable increase in such disclosures in 2024–2025. If absolute deniability matters to you, plan accordingly. (Telegram)
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Company/courts context: Telegram is led by Pavel Durov; legal scrutiny in France and elsewhere increased pressure on moderation and cooperation with lawful requests in 2024–2025. (The Guardian)
Practical verdict for Aix-life:
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Identity & phone privacy: Good—if you use a username, hide your number, disable contact sync, and avoid posting your number publicly.
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Message privacy: Fine for everyday; use Secret Chats for sensitive 1-to-1; groups/channels are not E2EE.
Mini-FAQ (quick links)
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Who’s behind Telegram? Founders, structure, and funding. (Wikipedia)
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E2EE explained (Secret Chats vs Cloud Chats). (Telegram Support Initiative)
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Company’s current privacy policy & transparency updates. (Telegram)
For French learners — ready-made phrases to use (by level)
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A1: “On s’écrit sur Telegram ? Mon pseudo, c’est @____.”
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A2: “Je préfère ne pas partager mon numéro. Écris-moi via mon nom d’utilisateur.”
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B1: “Pour plus de confidentialité, passons en conversation secrète.”
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B2: “Je limite qui peut me trouver par mon numéro—tu peux me contacter via mon identifiant.”
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C1/C2: “Par souci d’opsec, je désactive la synchro des contacts et j’utilise l’auto-suppression des messages.”
Extra safety tips (because we care)
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Don’t post your phone or email in public comments—share only your @username.
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Review Privacy & Security after any major Telegram update.
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For very sensitive topics, prefer apps with default E2EE across the board (e.g., Signal) and practice basic opsec (screen-lock, strong device PIN).
Sources & further reading
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Company / tech: Telegram FAQ & docs (Secret Chats, privacy, E2EE details). (Telegram)
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Ownership / structure: Wikipedia overview. (Wikipedia)
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Encryption explainer: WIRED on Telegram vs default E2EE messengers. (WIRED)
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Law-enforcement policy change & transparency: Telegram Privacy Policy; coverage & datasets. (Telegram)
Your turn 👋
What’s worked for you? Drop a comment with:
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a tip for hiding your number or setting up Secret Chats (no real numbers/emails, s’il vous plaît),
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your favorite French phrase for asking to connect on Telegram,
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or a question (A1 to C2 welcome!).
On papote à Aix !