Telegram for Android, iOS and macOS updated to version 10.15

The new version provides for users the following features:

• The updated in-app browser now supports multiple tabs, displays your browsing history, allows you to create and manage bookmarks, supports ton-websites and also provides some other settings.

• Mini app store allows you to view lists of recently used or most popular web apps, as well as search for them by name. And mini apps now can create custom content for further sharing to stories.

• Stars can now be gifted to contacts directly from the menu section “Settings › Your stars”.

• Flashlight allows you to highlight objects when recording video messages and works for both the main camera and the front one.

• Weather Sticker allows you to add temperature and weather that correspond to your location to your story.

• The cover editor allows you to select which frame from the video sequence of the published story will be displayed in your profile.

Article: https://telegram.org/blog/w3-browser-mini-app-store/en?setln=en

Android: Google Play, APK from the official website or verified channel.
iOS: App Store.
Desktop: from the official website or from GitHub.
macOS: App Store, from the official website or from a verified channel.
Unigram for Windows 10+: Microsoft Store

#update #Android #ios #macOS

Telegram Desktop updated to version 5.3.0

What's new:
• View recent and popular web apps in chats search.
• Open several web apps in different windows.
• Gift Telegram Stars to your friends.
• Send location marks and venues.
• Open tonsite:// links in webview.
• Edit order of stickers in your packs.

Download
• MS Windows: the official website or GitHub.
• macOS: App Store.

#update #desktop #macOS

Telegram Desktop updated to version 5.3.1

What's new:
• Open normal links from tonsite-s in system browser.
• Fix unicode tonsite:// links.
• Fix crash on Linux X11.

Download
• MS Windows: the official website or GitHub.
• macOS: App Store.

#update #desktop #macOS

Buying and Gifting Stars via @premiumbot

Telegram users can now buy and gift stars via official bot @premiumbot.

To do this, choose the required option in bot menu or send /stars command to it, and then follow the bot hints.

#stars

Rumors of Potential Telegram Ban in Turkey

According to the Turkish newspaper Sabah, Telegram could be banned in Turkey, just like Instagram.

Their reasoning for a potential ban is that the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority didn’t get Telegram’s attention after thousands of attempts to contact them.

A few days ago Instagram was banned there for the same reason. Starting at 18:30 UTC on August 10, the ban is being gradually lifted.

#bans

Pavel Durov on Telegram’s Birthday

Pavel Durov has made a post on his channel regarding Telegram‘s 11th birthday.

Telegram for Android and iOS Updated to Version 11.0

The following features have been introduced:

• Star Reactions for Channels: Channel administrators can now enable Star Reactions, and subscribers can send stars from their balance as reactions to posts. An unlimited number of stars can be used to react to each post from the user’s balance. If the user who made the reactions prefers, they can be publicly listed with others.

• Paid Channel Subscriptions: Administrators of private channels can create a paid invitation link and set a subscription fee. Any user who wants to subscribe to the channel using this link will need to pay this fee upon subscribing and then continue on paying it monthly to renew their subscription.

• Choosing the Sender of a Post on the Channel: Channel administrators can now choose under whose name a post will be made. The author selection menu includes the administrator’s personal account, the current channel, and all other public channels owned by the administrator. The new “Show Authors’ Profiles” setting in the “Administrators” section allows photos of senders to be displayed to the left of channel posts. The “Sign Messages” setting, previously located on the channel’s settings, is now available in this section.

• Displaying Sensitive Content: Android users now have an option to enable sensitive content in “Chat Settings”. Previously, this option was only available in Telegram Desktop and web clients, in their respective "Privacy" sections.

In addition, bots can now publish paid media, and iOS users can view .pdf, .xls, and .docx documents from the in-app browser.

Blog: https://telegram.org/blog/superchannels-star-reactions-subscriptions

Android: Google Play, APK from the official website, or the verified channel.
iOS: App Store.
macOS: App Store.

#update #Android #iOS #macOS

Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated to Version 5.4.0

What’s New:
• Super Channels
• Star Reactions
• Paid Subscriptions

Download:
• Windows: official website or GitHub
• macOS: App Store

#update #desktop #macOS

Standard Privacy Policy for bots

In early July, all bots and mini apps were required to provide a Privacy Policy detailing how they handle user data.

Yesterday, Telegram published a Standard Privacy Policy which applies by default to all bots and mini apps that don't have their own. This Policy broadly covers the data handling practices of most apps on Telegram, simplifying compliance for developers and adding transparency for users.

Additionally, developers can now set their own Privacy Policy directly within @BotFather bot. This Policy will be available to users through a special button in the settings menu of their mini apps.

More information can be found in Section 4 of the Bot Developer Terms.

#bots

Telegram Desktop Has Been Updated To Version 5.4.1

What's new:
• Fixed a crash when sending a star reaction in comments;
• Fixed issues with the channel list in super channels;
• Star reactions are now always displayed first in the reactions list;
• Paid invite links in groups have been removed.

Download:
• Windows: from the official website or GitHub.
• macOS: App Store.

#update #desktop #macOS

The Default Lifetime of New Accounts Has Been Increased to 1½ years

Our subscribers report that some accounts created in 2022 or later have the default privacy setting "Delete my account if away for" set to «548» days, or a year and a half.

Changing this setting still prevents users from specifying a value greater than a year.

For older accounts, nothing has changed.

The @tginfo editorial team has no information about the date from which the auto-deletion period for new accounts is one and a half years, or whether owners of new or old accounts will be able to set such a period in their settings in the future. In addition, we do not know whether this change affects all new accounts.

Let us remind you that previously the default period for automatic account deletion due to inactivity was 6 months.

Increasing Account Lifetime for All Users

Users of the Telegram beta version for Android 11.0.1 can now set their account's auto-delete period to 1.5 years in case of inactivity.

Recently, Telegram started automatically setting the account lifetime to 1.5 years by default. Previously, the maximum period was 1 year.

#Android

Pavel Durov Arrested at French Airport

According to the local channel TF1, Pavel Durov was arrested at the Paris-Le Bourget airport.

The motivation behind this is allegedly because Durov did not cooperate with French security forces, which renders him as an accomplice to drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

UPD. 23:20 UTC
The report from TF1 was confirmed by the BFM network.

According to TF1's report, Pavel Durov arrived at Paris from Azerbaijan and was arrested at approximately 18:00 UTC.

The investigation is said to be focused on Telegram's insufficient number of moderators, which reporters use as a reason for why illegal activity is not controlled on Telegram.

Telegram did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters, and the French Ministry of Interior had no comment.

The @tginfo team continues to monitor upcoming developments.

#arrest

Official Statement for the Media Regarding the Arrest of Pavel Durov Expected on Monday

The French government and Telegram continue to remain silent regarding Durov’s arrest.

The Paris prosecutor's office, which handles the case of the arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov, plans to make a statement to the press on Monday, August 26. This was reported to TASS by the prosecutor's office.

All current details regarding the situation come from unnamed sources in the French media.

Reuters reports that Durov may face possible charges as early as today, citing French media.

#arrest

France Extends Pavel Durov's Arrest

French judicial authorities extended the detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov on Sunday following his arrest at a Paris airport, according to the French news agency AFP.

The initial detention period for questioning can last up to 96 hours. Once this phase is complete, a judge will decide whether to release him or press charges and keep him in custody.

In response, Telegram stated that “Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe.”

“Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards,” the company added. “It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”

#arrest

Pavel Durov Suspected of 12 Crimes

“Novaya Gazeta Europe” has obtained access to a press release from the French prosecutor's office, highlighting several of the alleged offenses:

• Complicity in administering an online platform for conducting illegal transactions by organized groups.
• Refusal to provide law enforcement agencies with information or documents required for investigation and prosecution.
• Complicity in storing child pornography.
• Complicity in drug distribution.
• Complicity in cybercrimes.
• Complicity in fraud committed by organized criminal groups.

TASS, a Russian news agency, reports that the investigation against Pavel Durov began on July 8. According to the agency's information, the entrepreneur may remain in custody until August 28 unless formal accusations follow.

Emmanuel Macron was the first from the entire French government to issue an official statement, emphasizing the independence of the judiciary system and stressing that Pavel Durov's arrest is not politically motivated but is in accordance with the legal framework protecting citizens' rights.

In response to a request from RIA Novosti, the European Commission said they are monitoring the situation and are ready to cooperate with French authorities. The United Nations does not yet have sufficient information. Previously, in response to an inquiry from TASS news agency, the European Commission declined to comment: “This is a national investigation, we do not intend to comment on it, you should refer to the French authorities.”

UPD. 18:00 UTC
We have updated our wording to better express the fact Durov wasn't accused or convicted yet — as we said, prosecutors have a limited timeframe in which they can keep Durov under arrest to question him.

#arrest

What legal framework is Emmanuel Macron referring to?

The full version of the press release from the French prosecutor's office has been published online.

The document is written in French, and @tginfo editors used a translator to review it.

Formally, the case has been initiated against an unidentified individual, who is largely accused of being an accomplice in various legal violations.

The French government claims that Pavel Durov was arrested under the French legal framework. The purpose of the arrest is to question Durov.

No charges have yet been filed against any identified individuals, as the case is still in its early stages. If the interrogation provides sufficient grounds, @tginfo editors believe that Pavel Durov could move from being a witness to a suspect.

If formal charges are not filed against the entrepreneur by August 28, he must be released from custody.

In addition to the previously mentioned allegations, the full document includes the following accusations:

• Money laundering from crimes or offenses as part of an organized group
• Providing cryptographic services intended to ensure confidentiality without proper notification
• Providing cryptographic tools not solely used for authentication or integrity checks without prior notification
• Importing cryptographic tools not solely used for authentication or integrity checks without prior notification

#arrest

@tginfo Telegram FAQ

The list of our most popular FAQ articles is here: https://tginfo.me/faq-en/

#FAQ

Pavel Durov Has Been Charged and Must Remain in France

Pavel Durov has been accused of participating in organized criminal activities, money laundering, and refusing to provide data upon the authorities' request. This information was disclosed in a press release from the French prosecutor's office, obtained by "Novaya Gazeta Europe".

As a result of these charges, Durov is now under judicial supervision: he is prohibited from leaving France and must post a bail of 5 million euros. He will be released on bail but will be required to report to a police station in person twice a week.

The list of charges includes six crimes:
• Conspiracy to manage an online platform used for illegal transactions as part of an organized group;
• Refusal to provide information or documents requested by authorized bodies necessary for lawful wiretapping;
• Complicity in crimes by allowing Telegram access to users involved in distributing child pornography, trafficking drugs, fraud, and other criminal activities;
• Money laundering resulting from crimes or offenses as part of an organized group;
• Providing cryptographic services without proper declaration;
• Importing cryptographic tools to ensure confidentiality without prior declaration.

#arrest