Dataharvest 2025 - the European Investigative Journalism Conference

In recent years, Telegram has evolved beyond a simple messaging application, becoming a platform for audiences to consume information and a tool for journalists to monitor and track conflicts, wars, and other incidents around the world.

However, alongside its general use, Telegram has become a widely used platform for malicious actors to spread disinformation and smear campaigns, spread hate speech and fear, and orchestrate influence operations aimed at shaping public opinion. This session will equip journalists with essential investigative techniques tailored for Telegram, providing a comprehensive guide for effective research. Journalists will learn about the tools and methods available to monitor, collect, and analyze Telegram data effectively.

If you have never conducted an investigation focused on Telegram channels, this session is for you.
It will also be valuable to those who occasionally report on manipulation and disinformation on Telegram. Experienced journalists who have participated in previous editions of this session reported learning at least one new tool, method, or tip for investigating Telegram.

What you will learn:
tools and tips for identifying, monitoring, and investigating public Telegram channels.
methods and tools for collecting Telegram data.
insights into the challenges of working with Telegram data and ways to leverage and interpret it.

If you already have a Telegram account, we will practice exercises together. It is recommended to have relevant API keys if you want to experiment with data collection in real-time.