Telegram vs Microsoft Teams

Telegram says it does not use personal data for ad targeting. Sponsored messages in public channels are contextual rather than based on user profiling.

Secret chats are end-to-end encrypted and Telegram says it cannot read them. It also says it does not store secret chats as readable server-side content.

Normal cloud chats, media, and files are stored on Telegram’s servers so they sync across devices. That is convenient, but it means standard chats do not get the same privacy model as secret chats.

Using bots, mini apps, business chatbots, translation, voice-to-text, and payments can send data to independent third parties. In some cases bots may access messages in chats assigned to them.

Telegram Premium renews automatically until canceled, and deleting your account or app does not stop billing. Early cancellation generally does not give a partial refund or credit.

Users can delete their account and cloud data, and Telegram recognizes access, correction, deletion, objection, restriction, and portability rights under applicable law.

Telegram may collect IP address, device/app usage, and username-history metadata for security and abuse prevention, and can keep it for up to 12 months.

Your chosen screen name, username, and profile photos are always public. That makes discovery easier, but reduces default privacy around account identity.

Telegram reserves the right to update its terms and privacy policy later. Privacy-policy changes take effect when posted, though Telegram says important changes will be notified in-app.

Telegram can temporarily or permanently ban accounts for violations, and says it will not compensate users for lost Premium benefits. Reported cloud-chat messages may also be reviewed by moderators.

Telegram says its web service uses only operational cookies and not cookies for profiling or advertising. This is a meaningful privacy-positive compared with many web services.

Telegram says it may disclose IP address and phone number only under valid criminal-authority orders and will include such disclosures in a quarterly transparency report.

U.S. users generally must resolve disputes through individual arbitration and waive class actions, limiting the ability to sue in court or join group claims. Small claims court is the main exception.

If Teams is provided by your employer or school, that organization can control the account and access data including files and communications. Users on work or school accounts should not expect the same level of privacy as with a personal account.

Microsoft says it collects not only account and usage data, but also contacts, location, communications content, device data, and data from affiliates and third parties. This creates a large cross-context profile of users.

Your data may be used for advertising, marketing, personalization, and relevant offers, and Microsoft may share advertising-related data with third-party ad platforms and advertisers. This goes beyond strictly providing the service.

Microsoft says it may use collected data to develop and train AI models, and manual review may support automated processing. Users should assume some data contributes to product and AI improvement unless limited by product-specific controls or law.

The service is provided "as is," and Microsoft’s liability is generally capped at your monthly fee or $10 for free services. If something goes wrong, available compensation may be very limited.

Microsoft expressly says it does not use the contents of email, human chat, video calls, voicemail, documents, photos, or personal files to target ads. For a messaging service, this is a meaningful privacy protection.

Users can close their Microsoft account at any time, and Microsoft says it will delete or disassociate associated data/content unless legally required to keep it. This gives a reasonably clear exit path.

Microsoft offers privacy rights including access, deletion, correction, objection, restriction, consent withdrawal, and portability, with tools like the privacy dashboard. Data export is also specifically mentioned for switching providers.

Microsoft reserves broad rights to review, block, remove, or decline content and to limit or close accounts for policy, safety, legal, or storage reasons. Access to content and services can be lost quickly if enforcement is triggered.

Microsoft can change the terms at any time, and continuing to use the service after the effective date means you accept the new terms. In practice, users must either accept changes or stop using Teams.

Paid subscriptions renew automatically until canceled, and purchases are generally final and non-refundable. Users need to cancel before the next billing date to avoid charges.