Subject: Bypass of Premium Story Saving Restriction via Repost Feature
Description:
I have discovered a logical loophole that allows any user to bypass the Telegram Premium restriction for saving stories. This issue allows non-Premium users to download and save protected stories to their gallery without a subscription.
Steps to Reproduce:
1.Open a story of a user who allows reposting but restricts saving.
2.Attempting to save the story directly results in a "Telegram Premium" subscription prompt.
3.Click the "Share" icon and select "Repost Story".
4.Once the story is added to my own stories, I post it.
5.After posting, I open my own story and use the "Save to Gallery" option.
6.The story is successfully saved to my device without a Premium subscription.
Why Fixing This Is Beneficial:
Revenue Protection: This bypass directly undermines the Telegram Premium value proposition. Fixing it will protect the exclusivity of Premium features and encourage more users to subscribe.
Content Privacy & Control: Users who restrict story saving expect their content to be protected. This loophole violates that trust, as their content can be saved by anyone through a simple repost.
Platform Integrity: Ensuring that paywalls and restrictions work as intended maintains the professional standard and reliability of the Telegram ecosystem.
Copyright Protection: It prevents unauthorized distribution and local storage of media that creators intended to be temporary or restricted.
Device Info:
App: Telegram Official Android App
Version: [v12.4.3]
Device: Xiaomi Redmi Note 13
OS: Android 14
Steps to reproduce
Open a story that has the "Save to Gallery" option.
Tap on the three dots to open the menu.
Select "Save to Gallery".
The video is not saved to the phone's gallery despite having a Premium subscription.