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Built from public records and checked 2026-10-22. Not an audit of Telegram. How scores are made · spotted a mistake? Tell us.
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Google Play apps elevated jurisdiction risk

Telegram

Cloud-based messaging app · Score 72/100 · Last checked 2026-10-22

The short version

Use Secret Chats for private conversations; ordinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted.

Built from: public records, checked 2026-10-22.

Score breakdown

Security record69
Documented incidents and safeguards (public record, not a technical test)
Data jurisdiction55
Which laws and governments can reach your data
Ownership transparency72
How plainly the owner can be traced
Third-party exposure92
Documented analytics, advertising and attribution partners

Who owns it

Telegram→Telegram Messenger Inc.→Telegram Group Inc.

Parent based in: 🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands

Also subject to law in: 🇦🇪 UAE, per the sources below.

Laws that can apply: UAE federal data protection law

Where your data can go

WhoCountryWhy they are involved
Telegram FZ-LLC🇦🇪 UAE elevatedGroup company in Dubai that may receive personal data to run and support the service
Google🇺🇸 United States Message translation and voice-to-text, only when a user asks
Microsoft🇺🇸 United States Message translation, only when a user asks

Jurisdictions touched: 🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands · 🇦🇪 UAE · 🇺🇸 United States

What the public record says

mediumOrdinary chats are not end-to-end encrypted

Telegram's FAQ says cloud chats use server-client encryption. Only Secret Chats are end-to-end encrypted, and they must be started manually. Source

mediumCEO placed under formal investigation in France

In August 2024 a French judge placed Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, under formal investigation over alleged complicity in offences on the platform. He disputes the allegations. Source

mediumPolicy now allows disclosing IP address and phone number on judicial order

Since a September 2024 change, the privacy policy says Telegram may disclose a suspect's IP address and phone number on a valid judicial order. Source

good to knowClient apps are open source; server code is not

Telegram's FAQ says its apps are open source with reproducible builds, while server code is not published. Source

Sources

Ownership, locations and data partners come from the company's own pages and filings where they exist. Last checked 2026-10-22.