Is Telegram Safe in 2024? How to Access It Securely?

Samuel Walker  - Technology Policy Researcher
Last updated: January 1, 2024
Read time: 14 minutes
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This article explores Telegram safety and privacy and provides best practices and tips for keeping your Telegram usage private and safe.

THE TAKEAWAYS

Telegram gained popularity following WhatsApp’s privacy fiasco regarding data sharing with Facebook. However, while the app boasts the utmost privacy, it has faced severe criticism in the past due to numerous technical reasons. But it addressed those issues, eventually attracting a vast user base. But is Telegram still safe to use? That’s the question this article answers in detail and sheds light on Telegram security best practices.

We’ve come a long way regarding communications. Not so long ago, phones used to make calls only; however, the landscape is undoubtedly broader. We now have many options to connect and interact with friends, family, coworkers, and more. Telegram, an online messaging app, is one such option to engage in communications nowadays. But is it safe to use Telegram? That’s the question people ask the most.

The short answer to Telegram safety is a “yes.” But on a deeper level, you need to follow some Telegram security best practices to take the most out of the application without compromising your online protection.

Telegram, at its core

Russian brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov launched Telegram in 2013, aiming to put on the market a messaging app focusing on privacy and speed, which, to this day, it’s safe to say is a mission accomplished.

This cloud-based messaging app protects users’ privacy to a degree where many possibilities come to the surface (more on that in ‘The dark side of Telegram‘ section).

However, on a primitive level, one could say that much like any other messaging app, Telegram offers similar options. That is sharing texts, multimedia, emojis, stickers, GIFs, recordings, locations, etc. You can also create chat groups a thousand times (literally) bigger than Whatsapp, with up to 200,000 members per group.

These outstanding features speak for themselves. Nonetheless, the security of Telegram remains a topic of discussion.