CCTV Tool Exposes Telegram Users’ Locations Through “People Nearby”
A researcher has developed a tool called Close-Circuit Telegram Vision (CCTV) that allows users to search for Telegram users who have enabled the “People Nearby” setting. CCTV displays the approximate physical location of these users on a map—even if they are not actually nearby.
According to the project’s GitHub page, “users can monitor others in real time for logistics or security purposes, rethinking how we navigate our surroundings.” Journalists noted that while users may have agreed to share their data in one context, it is now being exposed in a very different way.
“Telegram has a protective mechanism, but it’s not enough,” Ivan Glinkin, the developer, told 404 Media. He explained that CCTV uses the Telegram API associated with the Find People Nearby feature. “It accepts custom latitude and longitude as input, so you can enter any coordinates (no GPS spoofing required),” Glinkin said. He also demonstrated two other similar projects but claimed his tool is more accurate.
404 Media reporters tested CCTV and were able to find Telegram users who were actually located in other cities and even on different continents, not just nearby.
Telegram’s Response
Telegram’s press office provided the following comment:
“The optional ‘People Nearby’ feature was specifically created for people who want to share their location with others. By default, it is always off. The coordinates shown by the GitHub tool are not the user’s exact location—the data is approximated to within 800 meters on the server and only exists for users who have explicitly chosen to broadcast their location. Any Telegram app can access the same data.”
However, the official Telegram app does not allow users to search for others on a global scale. People who enable the “People Nearby” feature typically assume they can only be found by users who are physically close to them.
Telegram’s FAQ also states that this feature “allows Telegram users to explore local groups, find friends to chat with in their area, or quickly exchange contact info with people nearby.”