Instant messaging applications seek to make our lives easier by facilitating communication between users but sometimes end up becoming an easy way for the invasion of privacy. However, some of them have options that facilitate their use to those who are more jealous of their privacy, such as Telegram.
Through the following tips, you can access the Settings menu and configure Telegram to hide the information about the user as much as possible, avoid unwanted intrusion into your privacy, and facilitate the use of this application with the maximum possible discretion.
1.Username
Starting with the most basic, to have maximum privacy, nothing like having a username with which you are not known on Telegram. You cannot leave the name blank, but you can use letters, numbers, or underscores without spaces, to create a name that does not identify you.
2. No mobile phone number
Unlike WhatsApp and other applications, in Telegram, someone doesn’t need to have your mobile phone number to contact you. Yes, it is mandatory to have a mobile phone number with which Telegram identifies you, but you can create a User Name to avoid providing your number to others. Of course, for greater privacy, this Username should not be the real name. It can even be the blank space mentioned above.
3. Select who can see the mobile phone number
In the Privacy and Security section, you can set who can see your number.
4. Profile photo in white … or black
The profile pic in Telegram doesn’t need to show your face. In addition to selecting an image that shows an object, a pet, a fictional character, or a landscape, there is the simplest option. Select a black image. A completely black background, a non-image. In black or white. Or in any other color, of course.
5. Delete previous profile photos
It is useless to delete the profile photo if another user can access the history of photos that have previously been used in the profile. Unlike WhatsApp, in Telegram, the previous profile images are saved. To eliminate them, access the Profile Photo section in the Settings menu, where those previously used will appear. Select and delete them.
6. Choose who can see your profile photos
The photograph placed on the profile identifies you. You can select who it is visible to. t.
7. Avoid being added to groups and channels
It is one of the added values ​​of Telegram. Sometimes, some take the liberty of adding you to one of these forums without your permission. This is annoying if a stranger does it. The Privacy and Security/Groups and Channels option offers you the option of selecting who can add you to a channel, with the options already seen: all or only the contacts. You can also add exceptions to select who can add you in any case and who can never do so.
8. Avoid links to your own profile if they forward a message
Although when publishing content, many like to have their messages spread, others prefer more discretion, and that even in the case of reaching wide dissemination, it is not known that they were the source. The forwarded messages option allows you to manage whether or not the link to your profile is included when messages are forwarded. There are already known options for allowing everyone, only contacts, to no one or setting exceptions and permissions.
9. Hide connected/last seen
Bad news: it is impossible to deactivate the reading confirmation. Perhaps one of the most intrusive privacy intrusions that came with WhatsApp and are available in Telegram as in other messaging apps. There is the last time online option within the privacy and security menu. It allows you to activate or deactivate who can see this information. It could be everyone, nobody, only the contacts and the usual configuration of setting exceptions so that they can or cannot see it in a personalized way.
10. Listen to audios without the message sender knowing
Unlike WhatsApp, where you have to forward the received audio to yourself to listen to it without the sender knowing that you have done it, in Telegram, it is necessary to download the file, either on a computer or to the mobile itself. Once done, open it with any audio player to listen to it without notifying the sender.
