Telegram is a extremely popular messaging app proper now and has managed to change into probably the most downloaded non-gaming app for January 2021, based on Sensor Tower. The app noticed 63 million downloads in January 2021, and practically 24 per cent got here from India. The WhatsApp various is feature-packed to the brim and founder Pavel Durov has been vocal a number of occasions concerning the app’s give attention to person privateness.
Telegram provides varied options and instruments and a few of them are solely targeted on making Telegram customers really feel safer and in command of the app’s privateness. Here are 10 Telegram privateness options you could try proper now.
Lock Chats
Telegram lets you lock your chats. This lock may be bypassed with a fast PIN entry and even by way of your cellphone’s fingerprint sensor. The function is right in case your cellphone’s inventory person interface doesn’t provide App Locking. To allow chat locking, you’ll be able to head over to the Settings/ Privacy and Security/ Passcode Lock.
Secret Chats
Telegram’s default chats are backed up by the platform’s safe cloud. This lets you use the identical account on a number of units, together with your laptop computer. However, these chats are usually not end-to-end encrypted, since Telegram wants entry to your chats to make them obtainable on different units the place you will have logged in.
Telegram, nonetheless, helps you to use secret chats with contacts alongside their common chats. The Secret Chat window for that contact is end-to-end encrypted, and no third-party besides the sender and the receiver has entry to this chat, not even Telegram. This makes them probably the most safe approach to talk by way of the app. However, you’ll lose helpful options like multi-device help on Secret Chats.
Self-destructing Media
Self-destructing messages isn’t new to Telegram, however the function was earlier accessible solely by way of the app’s Secret Chats. Now, after a latest replace, Telegram helps you to ship self-destructing messages in common chats as effectively.
To ship one thing with a timer, head over to the actual chat and open up your gallery and faucet on a preview to pick a picture or video. Look for the timer icon formed like a stopwatch within the 4 choices under the media (Next to crop, edit, and many others). Here you’ll be able to set a timer after which the media will expire.
Telegram now permits self-destructing media messages in regular chats in addition to secret chats. (Express Photo)
Two-Step Verification
A whole lot of apps have now begun making two-step verification or two-factor authorisation obtainable for extra privateness and so does Telegram. Once enabled, the function requires to enter a password each time you login to Telegram from a brand new or previous gadget. The password is required along with the OTP or one time password, which seems on if you arrange the account on a brand new gadget. This protects your account from id theft ought to somebody discover out your password as they may nonetheless want the password to login. To allow this, head over to Settings/ Privacy and Security / Two-Step Verification.
Proxy Servers
Telegram additionally helps proxy servers. This lets customers disguise their IP deal with by connecting to a customized proxy server. This works just like how a VPN connection, however is a function try to be utilizing provided that you already know what you’re doing. While a proxy isn’t as safe as a VPN connection, it has the benefit of not taking a success in your web velocity. To arrange a proxy server, customers can navigate to Settings/ Data and Storage/ Proxy Settings.
Delete Sender’s Messages
Telegram permits customers to delete not simply their very own messages, but additionally these despatched by others in non-public one-on-one chats. While this function is a bit of shady and may be counterproductive, it’s a boon for these wanting absolute privateness of their chats. It can be best if one get together’s gadget is stolen and also you wish to clear any type of confidential messages from the chat.
To delete the Sender’s messages, simply long-press on any chat message and hit the delete icon on prime, just like how you’ll delete your individual messages. Unlike WhatsApp, there isn’t any time restrict for deleting messages and you’ll navigate to older messages and delete them too.
Control who can (and may’t) add you to teams
Telegram helps you to fine-tune and arrange permissions so as to add your account to teams. This prevents random strangers and annoying contacts from including you to teams with out your permission. You can set this up by heading over to Settings/ Privacy and Security/ Groups.
Here you’ll be able to merely set the dropdown to My contacts in order that no strangers can add you in teams. Further, you’ll be able to add extra exceptions within the choices under so that individual contacts are blacklisted/whitelisted so as to add you.
Telegram helps you to management who can add you to teams. (Express Photo)
Clear fee and transport information
Telegram bots by Telegram accounts run by companies permit you to pay by way of the app itself. However, these residuals can stay in place lengthy after your transaction is completed and the product is acquired. If you wish to do away with these bits, you’ll be able to navigate to Settings/ Privacy and Security/ Clear Payment and Shipping Info. The one-step course of clears all of your fee and transport knowledge throughout all chats in a single go.
View and disable lively Telegram classes
Telegram permits multi-device help, which suggests you’ll be able to have the identical Telegram account open in varied units on the similar time. Over time, it’s possible you’ll neglect that you’re logged in to some cellphone/laptop computer and that may be misused. To be sure this doesn’t occur, you’ll be able to view all units the place your Telegram account is logged in. To do that, go to Settings/ Privacy and Security/ Active classes.
If you see any session that’s nonetheless logged in that you just wish to be ended, merely click on on that session and hit ‘Terminate’ to finish it.
‘Delete my account’ timer
Telegram lets you delete your account if you don’t use it actively for an prolonged time period. Users have a option to set the brink time-period earlier than their account will get completely deleted. To set this up, navigate to Settings/ Privacy and Storage/ Delete my account. You can select between 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 yr.
