Don’t get me wrong, I love Telegram. However, today’s story serves as a poignant reminder that everything we say online, even if we think it’s in a “private” room or message, is never truly private.

Messaging app Telegram handed over data on 22,777 users to authorities worldwide in the first three months of 2025, according to a newly released transparency report reposted to GitHub. The disclosures mark a sharp escalation in Telegram’s cooperation with law enforcement, compared to the same period in 2024, when only 5,826 users’ data were shared.

This dramatic increase follows a notable policy shift after the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in late 2022. Once resistant to government scrutiny, Telegram had long claimed it would only share user data in matters involving terrorism. That stance has now changed. Telegram now provides IP addresses and phone numbers in response to valid legal requests, a move that critics say undermines the platform’s reputation for privacy.

In the U.S. alone, 1,664 users were affected by data handovers in Q1 2025. The spike is part of a broader trend: while Telegram complied with just 14 U.S. data requests affecting 108 users in the first nine months of 2024, those figures surged to 900 fulfilled requests covering 2,253 users by the end of the year, most of which occurred after October.

Telegram has historically marketed itself as a secure, encrypted messaging platform, popular not only among privacy-conscious users but also among those engaged in illicit activity, including deepfake scams, illegal gambling, and weapons sales. Its sprawling public channels and large-group capabilities have made it a haven for both community builders and bad actors.

Despite the uptick in data sharing, Telegram’s representatives have pointed out that its TLS encryption remains open-source and that Secret Chats still offer end-to-end encryption, although these must be manually initiated and are not available for group chats or media-heavy channels.

Privacy experts remain skeptical. Critics argue that Telegram’s encryption model, which encrypts messages between the client and server but not necessarily on the server itself, is not truly zero-access. Without external audits or verifiable proof of server-side security, concerns persist that Telegram administrators — or governments — could access message content stored on servers.

For most users engaging in legal and ordinary conversations, the shift is unlikely to affect day-to-day usage. But for those who turned to Telegram under the assumption of total privacy or anonymity, the revelation should serve as a critical reminder: no platform is immune to legal pressure.

Durov’s arrest appears to have been a clear signal that compliance with law enforcement is now a reality at Telegram, not just a theoretical possibility. While this may help Telegram maintain its availability in various jurisdictions, it also raises red flags for users who rely on the platform for private or politically sensitive communications.

Telegram remains a powerful and feature-rich messaging app, with unmatched tools for large-scale communication. However, the idea that it is inherently private or untouchable has become outdated. Users concerned about absolute privacy may wish to consider alternatives that offer default end-to-end encryption and stronger transparency, such as Signal or Session.

As always, informed decision-making is key. Know the tools you’re using, and who might be watching.