Threema have embraced decentralized or ephemeral storage models

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Since cloud chats are stored on Telegram’s servers, Telegram technically has access to those messages, even though it claims not to scan or monetize them. Telegram’s privacy policy states that it only stores the data necessary for user functionality and will not share data with governments without a valid legal request. However, since Telegram is not fully transparent about its logging practices, users have to take these statements on trust. Moreover, metadata—such as timestamps, IP addresses, and group membership—can be revealing, even if message contents are encrypted. Governments and surveillance agencies often exploit metadata to build behavioral profiles or track political activity. This has led privacy advocates to criticize Telegram’s database model as insufficiently secure for high-risk users like journalists, dissidents, and activists.

In contrast, apps like Signal and to reduce the attack surface. Telegram’s Data Export and User Control Telegram does provide users with the ability to export their data using the Telegram Desktop belgium telegram data application. Through the Settings > Advanced > Export Telegram Data menu, users can download an archive of their messages, media, contacts, and account settings. The data is structured in JSON or HTML format and provides a relatively transparent view of what Telegram stores. This feature demonstrates Telegram’s partial commitment to data portability and user autonomy. However, mobile users—especially those on Android or iOS—have fewer tools to inspect or control the database contents locally.

While Android users can access Telegram’s cache folders via file manager apps, iOS users are largely restricted due to Apple’s sandboxing policies. Database Security and Breach Concerns Telegram claims that its data is securely stored using AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS-based encryption in transit. While this protects against most forms of passive eavesdropping, Telegram’s proprietary MTProto encryption protocol has drawn scrutiny for lacking widespread peer review. The 2024 Telegram data breach, which exposed sensitive metadata from millions of accounts due to a misconfigured authentication API, highlighted the importance of stronger database security.