---
layout: post
comments: true
title: "How to private message people on Telegram without getting reported for spam"
category: [english]
tags: [telegram, english, spam]
redirect_from: /telegram.html
---

*This should be obvious, but is apparently not as at time of writing I have
 blocked and reported around 95 people for spam.*

*The number has been last updated on 2016-09-05.*

## Rules applying to everyone

* Ask for permission on group before messaging me or your message is spam.
* If you do message without permission, type your greeting and message on
  the first line using proper English (or in my case Finnish).
    * I am not going to read multiple lines of spam just to figure out if
      it's spam or not.
    * I am not native English speaker, so if the message consist entirely
      of improper English, I have to decipher the message which might go
      over my abilities which makes the message spam.
* If you request *please don't report me for spam*, that seals your message
  as spam.
* If I express disinterest towards the discussion, forward you somewhere
  else or say that I cannot help you, **stop!** Otherwise you become
  spammer again.

There are also other factors such as my mood, but if you follow these
instructions and don't ask anything [offensive](https://github.com/Mikaela/freenode-harassment/blob/master/spydar007/2015-01-12.query.log#L6),
there is good chance that I or any reasonable person doesn't report you
for spam.

## If we know each other

* The rules applying to everyone also apply to you.
    * If we know each other, I might not follow them so strictly.
        * Remember that I have facial blindness and bad name memory, so I
          might not recognize you leading to spam report.
* If we have shared our phone numbers, the report spam button doesn't
  appear.

## Further reading

* [Telegram spam FAQ](https://telegram.org/faq_spam) which Telegram
  **should force new users to read** *in my opinion.*
    * The questions two and three are the most important in my opinion.
    * If you use your brains, you will see that this page is in line with
      the spam FAQ, but tries to be more idiotproof.
* If you do get your account limited (=prevented from contacting people
  privately whose number you don't have and who doesn't have your number,
  punishment from spamming), contact the
  [spambot](https://telegram.me/spambot) instead of complaining on
  groups..
* Why I react so badly to spam or have written this (n addition to 30+ at
  time of writing blocks and spam reports)
  [part1](https://mikaela.info/english/2015/04/02/umodeg.html),
  [part2](https://mikaela.info/english/2015/05/10/umodeg2.html) &
  [request for Telegram that would decrease amount of spam reports](https://twitter.com/Inaneierase/status/719844660139700224).