Telegram Handed Over User Data to US Authorities

Journalists from 404 Media and Court Watch found an official letter from Telegram dated September 4, 2026, in court documents, revealing details of its cooperation with US law enforcement agencies.

The company provided US authorities with the user's phone number, unique Telegram ID, IP address, as well as the exact date and time of account activity.

The document states that data is shared voluntarily, but the company does not recognize the jurisdiction of the United States over its platform. A special non-public email address is used for such requests.

Information was provided as part of the investigation into the actions of Mahmoud al-Mukhtadi, accused of involvement in the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The service's privacy policy changed after the arrest of founder Pavel Durov in August 2024. Telegram now allows sharing users' phone numbers and IP addresses in response to lawful government requests.