BotNews

Bot API 7.10 • Introduced support for Telegram Star Giveaways ⭐️. • Bots now receive updates when users purchase paid media. • Mini Apps can now display and control a secondary button at the bottom of their interface. • The bottom bar color of Mini Apps can now be customized. • And more, see the full changelog for details: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog#september-6-2024

Standard Bot Privacy Policy As previously announced, all Bots and Mini Apps must provide a Privacy Policy detailing how they handle user data. To facilitate this process, we published a Standard Privacy Policy which applies by default to all Bots and Mini Apps that don't have their own. This policy broadly covers the data handling practices of most apps on Telegram, simplifying compliance for developers and adding transparency for users. Alternatively, you can now set up your own Privacy Policy directly on @BotFather – allowing users to access it from a dedicated button in your Mini App's settings menu. Please ensure our Standard Policy suits your needs – and publish your own via @BotFather if it does not. For more details, please reference Section 4 of the Bot Developer Terms.

Bot API 7.9 • Introduced Star Subscriptions ⭐️ – allowing bots to manage subscription-based invite links. • Bots can now send Paid Media to any chat, including on behalf of Business Accounts. • Added support for Super Channels – where admins may post as their own profiles or channels. • And more, see the full changelog for details: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog#august-14-2024

Today's update introduces a new Mini App Store – to highlight successful Mini Apps that utilize Stars ⭐️, making them easily accessible to the more than 500 million users who interact with mini apps each month (out of Telegram's 950 million monthly users). If your bot is a mini app, you can add a prominent Launch app button as well as demo videos and screenshots to the bot’s profile. To do this, go to @BotFather and set up your bot's Main Mini App.

Bot API 7.8 • Introduced Main Mini Apps, which can be previewed and launched directly from a link or the bot's profile. • Mini Apps can now seamlessly share media to the native Story editor. • Added support for managing pinned messages on behalf of business accounts. • And more, see the full changelog for details: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog#july-31-2024

Bot API 7.7 • Mini Apps can now disable vertical swipes – preventing users from exiting by accident. • Bots can now detect service messages about refunded payments. • And more, see the full changelog for details: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog#july-7-2024

Bot Privacy Policies Bots and mini apps must comply with all applicable privacy laws and regulations – including those from Apple and Google stores. To remain in compliance with Apple guideline 5.1.1 (i), bots and mini apps must provide a Privacy Policy detailing what data they store, how they collect it, and for what purpose. Operating without a separate Privacy Policy will lead to suspension or termination of your bot on Telegram. Mini apps can make their Privacy Policy easily accessible by including a link to it on a 'Settings' page, while bots must make it available via the /privacy command. For more information about these requirements, please see this section of the Bot Developer Terms of Service.

Star Reward Withdrawals, Subsidized Ads and Bot API 7.6 Developers of bots accepting Telegram Stars ⭐️ can now withdraw rewards via the TON blockchain, or use stars to place subsidized Ads on Telegram. Telegram takes nearly 0% commission and adds a 30% discount for ads to compensate for third-party payment system fees – you can read more here. Bot API 7.6, released today, adds even more improvements for all bots and mini apps, like: • Native multitasking – allowing mini apps to be minimized and expanded without loading delays. • Default full-screen mode for mini apps opened by direct link. • Support for sending paid media content on behalf of content creators. • Updated transaction history, with support for Telegram Ads and bot-specified payloads. • And more, see the full changelog for details.

Bot API 7.5 Telegram Stars • Bots can now use getStarTransactions to retrieve information about their Telegram Star transactions and withdrawals. Telegram Business • Messages sent on behalf of a business account now support callback inline buttons. • Added support for editing business messages. • And more, see the full changelog for details: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api-changelog#june-18-2024

Following our previous announcement, plenty of popular bots and mini apps implemented Telegram Stars ⭐️ – allowing them to sell digital products to millions of users in compliance with Apple's and Google's Terms. Unfortunately, to comply with store terms, we had to suspend a small number of bots that were accepting payments for digital products without using Telegram Stars despite our warnings. ⭐️ Bots and Mini Apps that implemented Stars will soon be able to place subsidized Ads and might be featured in our upcoming Mini App Store.