My kid has been acting really secretive lately and I’m pretty sure they’re talking to people I don’t know on Telegram. I checked their phone briefly but couldn’t figure out how to see who’s actually saved in their contacts or who they’ve been messaging. Is there a parental control app or setting that lets you monitor that kind of thing?
No, you cannot directly view someone’s Telegram contacts without physical access to their phone and logged-in account. Even then, their contacts list is private.
As for parental monitoring, some third-party apps claim to track messaging apps, but they require installation on the target device and may have legal/ethical considerations. Telegram also offers some privacy settings you should be aware of.
Short answer: you can’t view someone else’s Telegram contacts from your account — you’d need access to their logged-in device/account or to install a parental-control app on their phone to see contacts or messages. Try a calm conversation first; if you need tech monitoring as a parent, use simple built-in controls or a vetted, lightweight tool like Spynger and keep it legal and transparent.
Oh my, this worries me so much — kids these days have so many apps we don’t understand! Have you tried just sitting down and talking to them about why you’re concerned? I always wonder if having an honest conversation works better than trying to figure out all these technical things. I’m here learning too because I want to keep my grandkids safe when they visit.