Sorry if I'm an idiot but "new" => "poll" was the only option. I hope that's a synonym for "post new thread" and not an actual poll because this is just a question.
I got a Telegram account associated with my phone number. I don't want mongering contacts to know my phone number. If I "add contact" and "chat" an agency or girl on Telegram by means of knowing their number from the DB, will they know my number? Or only my username?
Likewise, I've tried to set my Telegram privacy setting to stop a default alert to my phone contacts that I am on Telegram, but worst case, do all of my phone contacts see my username? Or just the fact of "D.L. from your contacts is on Telegram"?
I downloaded the Telegram app to my phone, to set up the account but then deleted the app and have only been accessing it from my laptop on a read-only basis, if that's important to know. I figure I'll reinstall it on my phone when I'm ready to monger again.

For alternatives (I'm open): I use whatsapp in my daily life and so don't want any public-contact-list accidental exposure. I assume Line will default to likewise spewing information across my existing contacts by default and sharing my number if I'm not careful and competent?

Now, in HK phone SIM card are Real Name Registered.
I found a "work-around" (as soon as this idea was floated) and, as ...front-line....I use a SIM in an Stone Age ...recent...Nokia 3310 3G (has anybody older?).
(I toss away one regularly. I had logical reasons to buy many then. )

When not in use on the crime scene, the battery is out. No pinging anywhere.
Thank you Covid and LeaveHomeSafe for the learning / problem solving exercise (NO need for SIM in "smartphone").
I even pushed the vice to scan (changing phone dates and times) of my OFFICIAL Covid smartphone....Covid QR codes (collected for me by a dear friend )
of perfectly legit restaurants and bars ...for the time I was in Wanchai and wife out of town.
Conveniently, one day I was out with her, I made sure she saw my ...history of diners with well known places for married men with friend and former colleagues...while I was in Wanchai.
Happy wife, her (relaxed) husband was a monk!

So Telegram:
I do not use.
(In fact, I do not even use a smartphone ...saved to take pictures/videos with a disposble one (I have a pile) that has NEVER seen a SIM NOR use a home WiFi)

I however, by curiosity, I tried ...with a SIM, to be discarded (and phone too) to create an account to use Tg on a stealth laptop.
Doable but not practical (contact lists (+...you don't want to know) on MicroSD memory card).
Not a fan. No compelling + for my needs.

I do not use Tg in HK, because:
* Always Walk-Up and Wanchai bar girls only for me, NEVER hotel girls,
* First contact is ALWAYS face-to-face, too many fake pic,
* After (when becoming a regular), I generally show my burner phone number (I change it once in a while) to the girl
(so that she is not surprised (most zero English) to get a SMS in English!) or
...e-mail!   (yes, dedicated off radar e-mails, including one GMAIL created 18 years ago (it was easy then), mostly proton.me )
Some Chinese girls (zero) English even created their own (qq.com) e-mail to make (none urgent; I book ahead) communication easier with Google or Yandex Translate.
(both English and Chinese pasted in e-mails).  That was touching.


So I am not a Tg user, but if I was one:
* I would use it on a smartphone (for that ONLY purpose) where the battery can be REMOVED (phone dead at will), !!!
* ANY update would be done with a PUBLIC FREE WiFi (MTR in HK is easy),
* Have many (handy to recharge the battery of the current one at home...using another one) similar phones (be creative for wife!)
to play Three Cards Monte (Where is the naughty phone) and toss one too   (I dump mines every 6 months) contaminated
(mines are really toxic) regularly.

Again I am not a Tg user, but maybe those ideas could help those who do.

Personal view: I am perfectly confident that Tg has been broken by MSS, NSA, FSB, DGSE,...
BUT they have zero reason to use that acquired skills for minor (at their level) benefits.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Spies-Think/dp/0241385180 David Omand, GCHQ
A must read!!!

[ Last edited by  HK_Legend at 4-9-2024 19:33 ]

Even if your Telegram account is associated with your real phone number, you can indicate in the settings you don't wish any of your telegram contacts to see your number (go to Settings -> Privacy and Security -> Phone Number, and choose Nobody). You can also indicate that only some can see it.
Having done that, when you add a new Telegram contact it asks you whether you want them to see your phone number, and you just uncheck that box.

I am logged into 3 different TG accounts at the moment (works on Android as well as iOS). One is associated with my actual phone number, the other two were set using temporary virtual ones I have active at some point. So I think it's a good idea to set up an account not associated with your real number, and use that for the hobby. And don't let that account have access to your phone contacts.