Executive Summary
The reliance on phone numbers and SMS for authentication is a 20th-century legacy that has become the primary vector for cybercrime (SIM Swapping, phishing, and intercept attacks). Telegram should lead the industry by transitioning to a Phone-less Identity Model, leveraging Passkeys, Hardware Security Keys (YubiKeys), and Proactive AI to eliminate fraud while enhancing user privacy.
Key Pillars of the Proposal
Decoupling Identity from Phone Numbers
The Problem: Phone numbers are centralized, traceable, and vulnerable to carrier-side exploits.The Solution: Allow users to register and authenticate using Email + Passkeys. This removes the "Single Point of Failure" (the SIM card) and provides true digital sovereignty.
Mandatory Hardware & Biometric Standards (Optional Phase-in)
Implementation: Support for FIDO2/WebAuthn (YubiKeys) and TOTP (Dynamic Codes) should be the new "Gold Standard" for account protection.Biometric Integration: Use device-level biometrics (FaceID/Fingerprint) as the primary 2FA method, making unauthorized remote access technically impossible even if a password is leaked.
Proactive AI "Anti-Scam" Shield
Intent Analysis: Instead of reactive moderation, deploy an On-Device/Cloud Hybrid AI that identifies "Blatant Criminal Behavior."Automatic Warnings: If the AI detects a high probability of a scam (suspicious links, social engineering patterns like "send me your code"), it should trigger a full-screen "Red Alert" before the user can interact with the malicious content.Trust Scoring: Accounts secured with hardware keys and biometrics receive a "Verified Human" status, instantly filtering out massive bot-nets that rely on cheap, virtual phone numbers.
Seamless User Experience (Nudging)
Incentivized Adoption: While remaining optional for legacy devices, offer enhanced features or "High-Trust" badges for users who migrate to Passkeys and Biometrics.Simplified Recovery: Replace the outdated SMS recovery with Encrypted Email + AI Liveness Detection (Video Selfie) to verify the real owner in case of device loss.
Why Telegram?
WhatsApp and others are too slow and tied to traditional telecommunications. Telegram has the agility to declare the "End of the SMS Era." By adopting this model, Telegram will not only be the most private app but the most technically unhackable platform on Earth.
i am sure telegram has the ability to lead the industry, set gold standards and become the most... and anything app on earth (perhaps in history etc). but not like that and with that.
Kaworu
I basically agree with everything, but I don't think Telegram will get rid of the mandatory account number, because without it, Telegram servers will be filled with millions of accounts, I think it would be nice if Telegram gave the option to prohibit login via SMS, or to create additional authentication options.
And about AI moderation, I think it is only permissible automatically in public channels and groups because it is a violation of privacy, To work in private messages, closed channels and groups, you will need permission from administrators/communication participants
Yes, but i was referring to phasing out the use of phone numbers little by little, making it optional, until it’s eventually eliminated altogether in the future. And yes, you’re right about AI it’s not that i want it to violate privacy, but rather that it should be a useful tool for group and private chats
And another argument why Telegram won't refuse numbers, fragment Telegram literally has a platform where, for hundreds of dollars, they offer numbers that will turn your account into a SIM-free number
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most... and anything app on earth (perhaps in history etc).
but not like that and with that.
And about AI moderation, I think it is only permissible automatically in public channels and groups because it is a violation of privacy, To work in private messages, closed channels and groups, you will need permission from administrators/communication participants
Telegram literally has a platform where, for hundreds of dollars, they offer numbers that will turn your account into a SIM-free number
and true digital sovereignty is also not possible.
think in complete old/new or upside-down ways.