Bugs and Suggestions

I understand the 17+ nature of the main app. I imagine a kids version as a slimmed down client similar to what was described in this post: Telegram for kids #1069

My neices and nephews don't have phones yet so they can't create accounts. Allowing parents to create a kids account in their app would be great. The kids can then download the app on a wifi device and sign in with credentials set by the parents. They should have the ability to set the kids contacts through their app and select features (messaging, voice, video calls, groups, etc.). This client wouldn't need search since contacts are set by the parents. It wouldn't need apps or bots either.

^~^Jan 2, 2025

Telegram is a fairly polished app that is in many ways one of the few
privacy respecting and open messaging apps that non-technical users
would be able to use and set up consistently on their own.

I would never want my friends and family to use something like Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or other proprietary and closed options. Telegram could be a very good option that I would suggest.

However good Telegram is in most ways, it falls short in 'parental' controls and content restriction. I can not in good faith recommend Telegram to friends and family primarily because of this lack.

Getting it to an acceptable level would be, in my opinion very easy:
1. Provide a way to toggle global search. In addition to being important for parental control support, I personally find it extremely annoying to have random scammy/sketchy channels and accounts popping up every time I try to search things. (I feel like this is the most important thing have control over, but ability to restrict joining groups, adding contacts, visibility, the nearby find option, and others may also be useful for some).
2. Make it possible to lock some settings behind a password.

You wouldn't need to do all sorts of fancy and or potentially dangerous changes (like account linking which might open doors for abuse/spying stuff). Even just some minimal changes that have already had much of what is needed implemented (across forks and the current code base).

Daniel GApr 19, 2025

Are telegram even paying attention to this? Seems a huge achilles heel...

Deleted AccountApr 20, 2025

Daniel G

It seems that they are not interested in parent control features since initially Telegram app is created (at least it looks like this) to be free of any kind of surveillance even parent. And with Web3 features already implemented into Telegram it seems more that the 'parent control' topic is out of their scope of interest.

But we still need to continue to insist on implementing 'parent control' features in Telegram maybe one day it will help.

David RummelhoffAug 5, 2025

This makes so much sense, even from a business standpoint. Hook them early. Parents who want this will "forcefully" recruit new users. We value privacy and want the same for our kids. I wouldn't hesitate to pay for this either. There is no good solution out there now, which makes this an untapped market. The "options" that exist all require a separate app, which means most extended family members are excluded. We need a solid, popular messaging app that ALSO is good for kids/parents/family.

Deleted AccountAug 5, 2025

I decided to give a try to a paid version of Telegram. So if parent control or Family Friendly setting would be as premium I think I would accept this. Maybe they need to introduce a feature like in Slack - there is a Group and Admin, family members are the Group and the Admin is one of parents with options to block certain features, contacts etc. This tool could be used then for business communications as well.

Alex InkinJan 30

Telegram is the best messaging app out there, but how can I trust my kids to use it if they can easily find all sorts of inappropriate content in global search.

Ben TooSep 13

This has died out a while ago I believe but 1 solution I have found is to use an app called "Beeper" which you can log into using telegram, and also continue to message people. You can still receive notifications as well. The only issue is that you arent able to call and send tele bubbles, but if thats not an issue, then Beeper is great and also free!