How to Manage Telegram Privacy Settings for Parental Control and Make It Safe

Telegram does not have built-in parental controls. However, you can manage Telegram privacy settings for parental control and make the app safer.

Why is it important?

Parents on the Telegram forum have noted with great concern that there is no option to disable global reach and people nearby. If a child searches for a contact name, global search results can turn up pornographic pictures and channels.

In this guide, you will learn how to use the app’s features for Telegram parental control to protect your child’s privacy and control inappropriate content. Moreover, we’ll show advanced services for even better kids’ safety on Telegram.

What is the age limit for Telegram?

Telegram’s recommended age rating is 16. According to its Terms of Service, Telegram requires users of EU countries and the United Kingdom to be at least 18 years old. Apple’s age rating for Telegram on the App Store is 17, while the Google Play Store states it requires parental guidance.

Note that Telegram does not verify a user’s age, meaning anyone can download and use the app for online communications.

Is Telegram Safe for Kids?

Telegram is not safe for kids. Based on our experience using Telegram and after extensive research, we can confirm that the Telegram app can expose kids to sexual predators.

Inappropriate Content

Telegram is not like other messaging apps, where you have to receive an invitation or ask to join a group. Anyone can view content on publicly available groups without joining. Based on my experience, a simple tap on people nearby shows people and groups available in my area, many of which contain pornographic content.

According to Telegram’s terms, publicly sharing pornographic content is banned. However, the ban does not cover group chats and private groups, which allow sharing of content with multiple accounts simultaneously.

According to Research Gate, Telegram is used by pedophiles to share content, which anyone easily accesses. Moreover, Telegram has been identified as a platform where illegal pornography containing child porn is spread.

Online predators also find Telegram to be the perfect playground for disturbing events, as one parent narrated to the Washington Post.

Thus, parents must be vigilant with how their kids interact with the app, either by using Telegram app security features or through a third-party parental control app for families.

Secret Chats

The Telegram secret chat feature allows a Telegram user to send and receive end-to-end encrypted messages. This means the messages are unavailable on the cloud and can only be viewed on the device used to send or receive them.

Since Telegram supports end-to-end encryption, it protects users’ privacy, making it hard to moderate the messages. Hence, online sexual exploitation can happen to teenagers who find themselves subjected to harassment after sharing photos on the Telegram app.

Self Destruct Feature

Telegram self-destructing messages orders messages, photos, videos, and files to self-destruct after a set amount of time. Hence, collecting evidence from disappearing messages on shared devices is challenging.

Usernames are Public and Searchable

Your child’s username is accessible to everyone in their contacts. Besides, everyone who has their username can search for them on Telegram. Therefore, anyone can contact them, and if they are in a group, anyone in that group can contact them, too.

Anyone Can Add a Child to Groups

Unless you adjust Telegram settings, anyone can add your child to a group if they have their phone number or username. Since members can share usernames and profile photos, it’s easy for a predator to find a young user on the app.

Excessive screen time

Children can have a had time controlling their use of messaging apps, including Telegram. Since the app does not have settings for screen time, your child can spend long hours chatting on the app.

How to Set Up Telegram Privacy Settings for Minors

You can use Telegram privacy settings to increase your child’s online safety by protecting them from unwanted interactions and inappropriate content, blocking users, hiding who can see when your child is online, and even hiding their username.

Below is the instruction for each feature.

Make Telegram Username Private

Enhance your child’s privacy on the messaging app by making a Telegram username private. To do this:

1. Open the Telegram app. Go to Settings by tapping the three-line menu icon in the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Tap your profile picture.
3. Look for the username field. Clear the username field and leave it empty.
4. Save your changes to update their profile.

While no one can find your child’s username on Telegram, people can still find them using their phone number. That’s why you also need to hide their phone number.

Hide Phone Number on Telegram

Telegram requires a phone number when signing up. This phone number is visible to all your child’s contacts. You can set your child’s phone number visibility to nobody to prevent strangers from finding them on Telegram.

To hide phone number on Telegram:

1. Go to Telegram > Settings.
2. Tap Privacy and Security > Phone number.
   
3. Under [Who Can See My Phone Number], choose [Nobody.]
   

Stop People from Calling or Adding Your Child to Group Chats

Telegram calls can provide a secret way of communicating. However, you can disable the call feature to prevent voice calls from their Telegram account.

1. Open Telegram and navigate to Settings.
2. Click Privacy and Security.
   
3. Scroll down to Calls and tap Nobody.
   

You can also prevent strangers from adding your child to groups.

1. Open Telegram Settings > Privacy and Security.
2. Go to Invites and tap My Contacts under [Who can add me to group chats?]. This will allow only your child’s contacts to add them to group chats, making Telegram safer.
   

Block Senders

You can ensure a harassment-free and peaceful experience for your child by blocking senders that send inappropriate messages to your child. Blocking also helps to filter scams and spam.

1. Access Telegram Settings.
2. Go to Privacy and Security.
   
3. Scroll down to blocked users and tap the +sign beside Block User.
4. Tap Contacts and then tap on the contact you want to block.
5. Tap Block User to save the setting. You will see the contact in the list of blocked users.
   

Limit Profile Photo View

A predator can tell a Telegram user is a minor if they see it’s a child’s profile picture. Hence, limiting who can see your kid’s profile photo is best.

Open Telegram Settings > Privacy and Security > Profile photos and change to My Contacts or Nobody.

Forwarded Messages

When someone forwards a message on Telegram, your child’s name and profile link will appear. It risks children if someone forwards their message to a stranger.

To prevent people from adding links to your child’s Telegram account when they forward messages, go to Telegram Settings > Privacy and Security > Forwarded Messages and change it from Everybody to My Contacts or Nobody.

Can a Kid Bypass Parental Settings on Telegram?

While Telegram is a popular messaging app, you could expect privacy and security settings to be protected. However, since you cannot set up a passcode for the settings, a child can easily revert to the previous settings.

Use Parental Control App for Telegram

As Telegram does not have inbuilt parental controls and kids can change the settings, the best alternative option to monitor and make the Telegram messenger app safe is by using a parental control app. Our top recommended app for monitoring is mSpy.

How Does mSpy Work for Telegram monitoring?

mSpy parental control app helps parents guide children’s digital activities by observing their interactions with various apps, including Telegram. The app can monitor Telegram messages by taking screenshots. It can show you the chats, photos, videos, and all interactions done on the app.

Thus, you can see whether they are engaging in inappropriate content. If their activities are questionable, you can block access to the app or block Wi-Fi to prevent your child from using the app.

Try mSpy

Telegram Privacy Settings VS Family Tracker Comparison

To understand what’s better for Telegram parental controls, compare the tools in the table below.

Obviously, it’s better to combine Telegram privacy settings with advanced app for the best parental control.

Read the full mSpy monitoring app review on the HeyLocate blog:

Conclusion

While Telegram offers enormous options for contacting any person and accessing various groups and channels, the app does not have parental controls for protecting children on the app.

The app’s privacy settings do help to enhance online safety, but it’s better to combine them with a parental control app to protect young users from sexual exploitation and exposure to inappropriate content.