Telegram Has Changed Its Approach to Cooperation With the US Authorities

According to new data released by Telegram, the messenger has significantly increased its cooperation with United States law enforcement agencies in 2024.

• Telegram has fulfilled 900 requests from US authorities for 2024, providing data for 2,253 users.
• Only 14 requests affecting 108 users have been processed until October 2024.
• The number of fulfilled requests skyrocketed after CEO Pavel Durov was arrested in France in August 2024.
• Telegram updated its privacy policy in September, permitting the disclosure of IP addresses and phone numbers to law enforcement, but solely when legally required.

Experts attribute the change in Telegram's policy to growing pressure from regulators in various countries. Earlier, the company was known for its refusal to cooperate with the authorities in the provision of user data.

Telegram has not made any official comments on the increase in the number of fulfilled requests at the time of writing the post.

#USA

Telegram for Android and iOS Updated to Version 11.6.2

Users have gained the ability to share collectible gifts. Additionally, users may publish such gifts in their stories.

To share a gift, navigate to the "My Profile" section, open the "Gifts" tab, select the desired gift, and click the "Share" button.

Furthermore, collectible gifts are now available via direct links in the format t.me/nft/PlushPepe-171, where PlushPepe is the NFT name and 171 is its serial number.

How to Update
• Android: Download from Google Play, APK from the official website, or the verified channel.
• iOS: Download from the App Store.

#update #Android #iOS #NFT #gifts

Temporary Slowdown in Telegram DC2

Between 14:25 and 14:40 UTC, Telegram users experienced temporary disruptions in the DC2 data center (Europe), with messages loading and sending slowly.

The likely cause of this brief malfunction appears to be a major internet outage across Russia, during which Telegram remained one of the few major platforms still operational.

#outages #Russia

Pavel Durov Promises to Improve Telegram Moderation

Pavel Durov testified before French judicial authorities and promised to improve content moderation.

Key points:

• Pavel Durov stated that “Telegram was not created for criminals” and promised that it would commit to improving its moderation procedures.
• Each month, the platform removes 15-20 million accounts and up to two million channels or groups for violations.
• In the first 6 months of 2024, Telegram disclosed data of more than 10,000 users.

The court noted that prior to Durov’s arrest, criminal use of Telegram was increasing. According to French gendarmerie, in the first 5 months of 2024, 535 criminal cases related to illegal activities on Telegram were opened in France. For comparison, there were 808 such cases throughout all of 2023.

The judges paid special attention to Telegram’s "People Nearby" feature, which was disabled after Durov’s arrest. This feature was suspected of facilitating illegal activities through geolocation, such as drug trafficking or pimping.

“In most countries, this function is used for good purposes, not for illegal ones,” Durov emphasized.

In December 2024, the messenger announced its first annual profit. However, Durov told investigators that the platform has a $2 billion debt.

#courts #France

Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated to Version 5.10.4

What's new:
• Add messages search in channel comments.
• Allow sending your unique gifts to blockchain.
• Add option for running in backround on Linux.
• Fix possible freeze on quit on macOS.

Download:
• Windows/macOS/Linux: the official website or GitHub.

#update #desktop

Telegram Updates Requirements for Mini-Apps Using Blockchain

On January 21, 2025, following an agreement with TON, Telegram updated its Terms of Service for bot developers, which introduce new rules for mini-apps that use blockchain or promote cryptocurrency services.

Key Changes:
• Exclusive Use of TON Blockchain: Mini-apps must use TON Blockchain exclusively to create, distribute, and manage cryptocurrency tokens or blockchain assets.
• Mandatory Use of TON Connect SDK: Interactions with crypto wallets must be facilitated through TON Connect SDK. Other protocols are permitted solely for transferring assets from other blockchains.
• Restrictions on Wallet Promotion: Promotion of cryptocurrency wallets is prohibited unless the wallets:
• Operate exclusively on TON Blockchain,
• Use TON Connect exclusively for app interactions,
• Primarily provide services related to TON.

Deadlines and Actions for Developers:
• Immediately: Stop using other blockchains for tokens or assets and migrate to TON Blockchain.
• By February 1, 2025:
- Transition to TON Connect SDK for wallet-related apps.
- Remove advertisements and links to wallets and services that don’t meet the new requirements.
• By February 21, 2025: Fully migrate the app to TON Blockchain, including assets and smart contracts.

Who Is Not Affected:
• Developers of regular bots without mini-apps.
• Creators of mini-apps that do not use blockchain technology.
• Developers whose mini-apps do not promote blockchain-related services.
• TON multi-chain wallets that allow users to send and receive Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and other cryptocurrencies.
• Wallets offering staking programs for tokens such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others.
• Wallets enabling cross-chain token swaps directly through their app interface.

Telegram’s official service accounts are sending notifications to mini-app developers, requiring them to adapt their blockchain usage. Developers with questions about the migration to TON are advised to contact @BotSupport with the hashtag #MigrationToTON.

Interestingly, Telegram’s move comes after its founder, Pavel Durov, criticized Apple’s monopolistic practices with the App Store. Now, Telegram itself is introducing restrictions that may be perceived as an attempt to monopolize blockchain services on its platform.

#TON #bots

Telegram for Android and iOS updated to version 11.7, Telegram Desktop updated to version 5.10.5

The applications provide users with the following new features.

• The ability to “wear” collectible gifts
Owners of collectible gifts can now “wear” them: use the emoji, background, and pattern of such a gift to decorate their profile. To do this, press the “Wear” button on the collectible gift screen.

• The ability to send collectible gifts to the blockchain
Now gifts — just like collectible public names and phone numbers — can be transferred or auctioned using the TON blockchain. This way, owners will be able to maintain control over collectible gifts — even if they lose access to their Telegram account or delete it.

To send a gift to the blockchain, go to “Settings > My profile > My gifts” and tap on one of the gifts, then select “Transfer > Send via blockchain”.

• Gifts for channels
Now you can give gifts not only to other users, but also to channels. To do this, open the channel and click the 🎁 button in the lower right corner, or open the channel profile and select the appropriate option from the menu of the button with three dots in the corner of the screen.

The owner of the channel that received the gift can hide it from the channel profile, upgrade it, or send it to a user, another channel, or the blockchain. Subscribers of the channel may also view gifts that aren't hidden by the channel, as well as apply various filters to the channel's public gift list.

Please note: the ability to send gifts to channels will be available to users in different regions gradually. But it is already guaranteed to be available for the @durov channel.

• Posting gifts in stories and links to gifts
You can now share your gifts in stories. In addition, each collectible gift now has a unique link in the t.me/nft format.

Furthermore, users of the Telegram app for iOS now have the ability to choose a video cover when publishing it and send star reactions to channel posts on behalf of their public channels.

• Article on the official Telegram blog
https://telegram.org/blog/wear-gifts-blockchain-and-more

Download the update
• Android: Google Play, APK from the official website or verified channel.
• iOS: App Store.
• Windows/macOS/Linux: official website or GitHub.
• Windows: Microsoft Store.
• Linux: Flathub or Snapcraft.

#update #Android #iOS #desktop

Google Play Protect May Mistakenly Flag Telegram App as Dangerous

Approximately an hour ago, users began reporting that Google Play's protection mechanism is warning them about the potential danger of the Telegram app. The security system alleges that the app may steal user data and blocking its installation and updates.

It's important to note that only users who manually downloaded the app version labeled "store.apk" from the official Telegram's official channel @tandroidapk are receiving this warning. This version is specifically intended for installing the app while bypassing the Google Play Store. Users who installed the app directly from the Google Play Store are not experiencing such warnings.

The @tginfoen editorial team believes that Google's protection mechanisms are erroneously flagging the app as dangerous. We have no reason to question the safety of the file published on the official @tandroidapk channel.

Telegram Has Tightened The Limits on Publishing Stories

Users that are not subscribed to Telegram Premium may now only publish up to 2 stories per day, up to 5 stories per week and up to 20 stories per month.

Previously, such users were able to publish up to 3 stories per day, 7 stories per week, and 30 stories per month.

It is also worth noting that users with phone numbers from Russia, Ukraine, India, and Iran cannot publish stories at all without first subscribing to Telegram Premium.

#premium #stories

Telegram Premium for German Users

Users who have German phone numbers now are able to purchase Telegram Premium via @PremiumBot.

These users now also can send Premium as a gift, purchase stars, view emoji statuses of other users, and use all other platform features.

Our German channel is here: @tginfoger.

#premium #Germany

Telegram Might Start Using CAPTCHA

Changes in the TDLib source code indicate that the messenger may start using a CAPTCHA — an "I'm not a robot" verification for certain actions. According to the code, the verification will be applied only in official Telegram apps.

Generally, CAPTCHA is used to protect against spam and other unwanted requests. Previously, the messenger could only block such suspicious actions.

It is still unknown for which actions and how often the verification may be required. There is a chance Telegram may use an invisible CAPTCHA, which will collect signals in the background and provide Telegram with a bot score when it needs it.

@tginfo editors think CAPTCHA can reduce the number of errors and floodwaits experienced by some users. Alas, if this leads to more abuse, the messenger may tighten the system instead, and in that case, CAPTCHA will become an additional source of annoyance — and if Telegram will use an invisible CAPTCHA, users would not have alternative paths of remedy in cases when their activity is deemed suspicious.

The source code mentions reCAPTCHA — a user verification solution by Google. This is probably the technology that the messenger will be using. This raises some questions about privacy, since reCAPCHA uses extensive data collection to detect bots. Keep in mind that the feature is still in development, and the Telegram team may modify or cancel it.

#tdlib #antispam

Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated to Version 5.11.0

What's new:
• Section for shortcuts editing: Settings › Chat settings › Keyboard Shortcuts
• Copy video links at current time.
• Set custom video covers when posting to channels.
• Send paid reactions from the name of your channels.

Download: official website or GitHub.

#update #desktop

Global Search for Stickers and Emojis in Telegram

Previously, Telegram users could only search for stickers from their own and official sticker sets using emojis or keywords that matched those emojis.

In December 2024, Telegram implemented computer vision algorithms and assigned keywords to stickers from official sets, enabling users to search for sticker sets with free-form queries. For example, users can now search for stickers by typing "paper airplane", which was previously impossible since there is no paper airplane emoji.

In February 2025, keyword search became available not only for official sets but also for "millions of stickers and emojis uploaded by users". It seems that the search currently displays some of the most popular sets.

To use this feature, you need a more recent version of the Telegram app. Supported versions include:
• Android: 11.7.3 (5696) and above
• iOS: 11.7.0 (30143) and above
• macOS (Swift): 11.7.270736 and above
• Telegram Desktop: Not yet available
• Unigram: Not yet available

According to the Telegram team, the search feature supports 29 languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, and Russian. @tginfo editors verified that the search works not only in the languages listed in the telegram.org language picker, but also in others, such as Hebrew. The search function also recognizes text on stickers.

It's important to note that search results depend not only on the search language but also on the interface language set in Telegram. For example, to search in Turkish, you need to set Turkish as the app's language. The @tginfo team observed that English queries work under most languages, but when switching the interface to English, more results appear for such queries. Queries in some other languages appear to work even when the app is set to English.

In his blog, Pavel Durov announced plans to add more sticker packs to the search results once the system can effectively filter out inappropriate content.

Currently, there is no option to disable the new sticker and emoji search feature. Additionally, there is no button to report search results.

#stickers

Non-Obvious Privacy Aspects When Sending Star Reactions

In August 2024, Telegram introduced the ability for users to send star reactions to channel posts, and in February 2025 — the ability to send such reactions not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of any of their public channels.

The privacy settings for both types of reactions are not obvious. If you expect that no one will know your name, keep in mind the following:

1. When sending a paid reaction on your own behalf, the application allows you to disable the "Show me in Top Senders" option. If the user disables it, then neither their name nor their profile picture will be displayed to other channel subscribers, even if they are among the three donors who sent the most stars to the post.
However, even in this case, the owner of the channel to which the stars were sent will see the sender's name in the "Monetization" tab in the channel settings.

2. When sending a paid reaction, the application allows the user to select one of the public channels that they own. In this case, the list of the top 3 senders will not display the name of the sender, but the name of the channel that they chose.
However, the owner of the channel to which the stars were sent will see the sender's name in the "Monetization" tab in the channel settings. By comparing it with the list of top 3 senders of stars to a specific post, the channel owner can find out who exactly owns the channel on whose behalf the stars were sent.

Be careful: Telegram applications do not warn users sending star reactions about these nuances.

#reactions #stars #privacy

Telegram Is Testing “Conferences”

Telegram for iOS 11.7.1 has an interface for conference calls. This feature will allow users to add new participants to an ongoing conversation, even if it was started directly between two people.

Recall that previously, it was only possible to organize a call for three or more users in a group or channel.

To see the button for adding participants to an ongoing conversation, go to the debug menu and enable "Conference [WIP]". The function itself does not work yet.

#iOS #calls

How to Find Your Groups and Channels

Not all Telegram applications provide the user with the ability to see a list of groups and channels they have created or administer. However, there are some ways to do it.

https://tginfo.me/how-to-find-my-chats-en

#FAQ

Fine Issued by Australian Regulator eSafety

According to The Guardian, Telegram delayed providing information on measures it had taken to combat terrorism and materials related to extremism and child exploitation by 160 days.

Multiple companies, including Telegram, were issued a notice on March 18th of last year to provide said information by May 6th of last year, but Telegram provided the requested information on October 13th of last year.

The Australian internet regulator has assessed this delay at $957,780 AUD, or more than $600,000 USD. The platform now has 28 days to either appeal the fine, pay it, or request an extension to the payment deadline.

It is stated that Telegram intends to appeal the fine, citing that it is “unfair and disproportionate”.

#Australia #fines

Telegram is Testing Paid Messages

Users have noticed that Telegram is testing paid messages in private and group chats.

What is known now:
• The group owner or conversation partner can enable this feature at their discretion. When paid, the majority of the stars go to the recipient of the message or the owner of the group.
• The paid messages setting will be available in private chats and groups.
• Paid message settings may differ for different types of chats.

There is no reliable information about other aspects of the future feature yet. At present, the feature is only available to some users and only on Telegram's test server.

#stars

More Details About Your Chat Partner

The beta version of Telegram for Android 11.8 now provides additional information about users who start conversations with you.

The app now displays:

• The country that issued the user's phone number
• The month and year of their account registration
• The number of mutual groups
• If the account is Telegram official one
• Third party verification status.
• If account profile picture was changes in last few days.

Pavel Durov previously announced this update on his channel.

#Android #beta