SurveillanceIs “Secret Chat” something to worry about? More Surveillance terms
Secret Chat
Risk flagTelegram's end-to-end-encrypted chat mode with self-destructing messages. Content disappears on a timer, can't be screenshotted, and isn't visible to anyone but the two participants — including parents and even Telegram itself.
How kids use it
In a Telegram chat list, Secret Chats show a green lock icon. Their existence is the conversation, not a control problem — sextortion specifically migrates to them because the evidence trail self-deletes.
"Secret Chat" is about avoiding adult eyes. That’s developmentally normal — every generation had a version of it — but it tells you where your current setup has gaps.
- Don’t make it a gotcha. The goal is a setup that works even when they route around one tool.
- Do the 10-minute audit for hidden and disguised apps vault-app audit →