A risky offer
Telegram is introducing a supposed security feature that is raising eyebrows among data protection experts. The company offers its users to share their own phone number to send login messages to other users. In return you get a subscription worth five dollars.
However, this practice has a serious catch: the participants' telephone numbers are not anonymized. In return, the company promises to send no more than 150 OTP SMS messages per month via the numbers and rewards participation with one month of premium membership in the messenger service. It is doubtful whether this will pay off for users.
Telegram Premium costs between 5 and 6 euros per month, depending on the region. For example, if the offer starts in Germany, with an average of 19 cents per SMS, participants would have to expect SMS fees of 28.50 euros in the worst case - assuming that Telegram only sends all text messages within Germany. However, the P2PL program also allows SMS abroad ex works. Users should deactivate this function using the opt-out procedure in the settings. Otherwise it could be even more expensive.
This decision raises serious questions about user privacy and security. It reveals a surprising willingness to compromise personal data for cost savings, a decision that could undermine trust in Telegram's commitment to privacy.
No liability for Telegram
The company is washing its hands when it comes to the consequences of this new login method. The company's website clearly states that it assumes no responsibility for contact by third parties who gain access to user phone numbers P2PL
Telegram writes under point 3. Privacy (translated)
„However, Telegram cannot prevent the OTP recipient from seeing your phone number when receiving your SMS. Therefore, you acknowledge and agree that you have considered all potential impacts this may entail and have taken the necessary precautions to mitigate them at your discretion. Accordingly, you understand and agree that Telegram shall not be liable for any inconvenience, annoyance or damage resulting from any unwanted, unauthorized or illegal actions of any user who has learned about your phone number through P2PL.”
This approach leaves users alone with potential harassment, fraud attempts and spam. If the use of the telephone number results in increased costs or other problems with the mobile provider, Telegram assumes no liability. The risk users take here is hardly mitigated by a list of minimal safety instructions, and the strategies used to prevent unwanted contact remain nebulous.
A questionable compromise
This approach by Telegram raises significant questions about the balance between ease of use, cost savings and the protection of personal data. The decision to use personal telephone numbers for a service that can potentially be abused undermines the principle of data protection. It is disturbing that a service is now encouraging users to compromise their own security for a monetary incentive. The fact that Telegram takes no responsibility for possible consequences makes the offer even riskier. Users must ask themselves whether the five dollar savings is worth the potential loss in privacy and security.
Questions and answers:
Is the Telegram login procedure secure?
No, Telegram's new login process, which allows users to share their phone number to authenticate others, poses significant privacy and security risks. Sharing your phone number without anonymizing it exposes users to potential harassment, fraud or spam.
Why does Telegram offer this service?
Telegram is trying to reduce the costs and resources of sending SMS login codes. As an incentive for users to make their phone number available for this purpose, the company is offering a $5 subscription. This approach is intended to increase efficiency, but puts user data protection into question.
How should users behave?
Users should carefully consider whether the financial incentive is worth the potential risks. It is advisable to avoid this offer and instead rely on more secure methods of two-factor authentication that do not require the exchange of personal data. Privacy and security should always be a priority.
Conclusion
Finally, this offer from Telegram is a clear example of how important it is to critically question the conditions and consequences of security features. Users must always be vigilant and not carelessly risk their personal information for short-term benefits.
Source: techcrunch.com
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1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )