No Automatic Access for Bots: Telegram's Bot API is designed with privacy in mind. Bots cannot automatically access a user's phone number. A bot can only obtain your phone number if you explicitly choose to share it by tapping a dedicated KeyboardButton (request_contact=True) within the chat interface, which triggers a clear, native Telegram confirmation prompt for your consent.
Third-Party Client Responsibility: While Telegram's API is open for developers to build their own clients, Telegram's policy advises users to use official apps or verified open-source builds. If a user downloads an unofficial or malicious client, that client might be designed to scrape or misuse data, but this is a breach of the user's trust in the third-party app, not a vulnerability in Telegram's core policy or infrastructure.
5. Policy on Sharing Data with Law Enforcement (Crucial Update)
Shift in Stance (Effective September 2024): This is telegram number database the most significant evolution in Telegram's privacy policy concerning phone numbers. While Telegram historically maintained a strong stance against data sharing, their updated Privacy Policy (as of September 2024) indicates a change.
Limited Disclosure: Telegram now states that it may disclose a user's IP address and phone number to relevant judicial authorities in response to a valid legal request.
A "valid order" is received from "relevant judicial authorities."
The order confirms that the user is a "suspect in a case involving criminal activities that violate the Telegram Terms of Service."
Telegram states they will perform a "legal analysis" of the request.