Many systems use some form of encryption. However, when it comes to modern private messaging services, “encryption” usually refers to end-to-end encryption by default. This means messages are encrypted in such a way that only the sender and receiver can read them; not even the service provider can access the message content. With this kind of encryption, if someone tries to intercept or access the messages, like hackers or even law enforcement with a warrant, they would only see encrypted, unreadable data.
Telegram doesn’t meet this high-security standard because it does not automatically use end-to-end encryption for all conversations. Instead, Telegram requires users to manually enable a “Secret Chats” feature for each private conversation they want to protect. This feature isn’t activated by default for most chats and is only available for one-on-one conversations, not for group chats.
Additionally, enabling end-to-end encryption in Telegram is not straightforward, especially for users who aren’t tech-savvy. For instance, on the iOS app, you need to go through several steps and menus to activate the feature. Even then, you can only use “Secret Chats” if the person you’re messaging is online at that moment.