Project Telegram Data Collection Bounty
This bounty focuses on developing a privacy-first data collection system for Telegram, ensuring we can gather valuable insights while respecting user privacy and channel/group policies using the MTProto protocol.
TL;DR
Objective: Develop a privacy-first system to collect Telegram data from project channels and groups for analytics purposes.
Key Points:
- Uses MTProto protocol for native client-like access
- Runs on engineer’s machine (no bots)
- Only collects from public project channels/groups available to the engineer
- Removes PII and sensitive content where reasonable
- Includes monitoring and audit capabilities
Privacy Focus:
- Hashes user identifiers
- Respects user preferences
- Zero PII exposure
- Compliant with Telegram’s terms of service
Core Requirements
The system will be designed to collect messages from Telegram through the engineer’s machine using the MTProto protocol. This approach provides native client-like access while avoiding the limitations of bot APIs. The collection process will be integrated seamlessly into the engineer’s workflow, ensuring that it operates within Telegram’s usage guidelines.
Technical Specifications
The collection system will utilize the MTProto protocol to access Telegram data. This will involve setting up a local application that can authenticate using the engineer’s credentials, ensuring that the data collection process follows official client behavior. The application will be responsible for gathering messages from project channels and groups, extracting relevant metrics, and securely transmitting this data to our data warehouse.
Privacy Measures
The data collection process will be designed with privacy as a top priority. It will only collect necessary data from public project channels and groups, explicitly avoiding private chats and personal messages. User preferences will be respected, and any personal identifiable information (PII) will be removed during processing. User identifiers will be hashed, and sensitive content will be filtered out before storage.
Implementation Details
The ETL pipeline will be structured to support this MTProto-based collection method. Scheduled tasks on the engineer’s machine will initiate protocol-compliant requests to Telegram, following proper rate limits and connection patterns. The collected data will undergo transformation processes, including PII removal, standardization, and aggregation, before being loaded into our data warehouse in a secure and efficient manner.
Monitoring System
A robust monitoring system will be implemented to track the usage and success of the data collection process. This will include monitoring protocol usage, collection success rates, and processing metrics. Privacy compliance will be ensured through PII detection alerts, access pattern monitoring, and enforcement of data retention policies.
Deliverables
The deliverables for this project include a fully functional collection system using MTProto that integrates with the engineer’s machine, a processing pipeline with anonymization tools, and a comprehensive monitoring setup. Detailed documentation will be provided, covering the architecture, privacy considerations, and operational guidelines.
Success Metrics
The success of this project will be measured by its ability to maintain zero PII exposure, achieve 100% compliance with retention policies and Telegram’s terms of service, and provide a complete audit trail. Technical metrics will include minimal collection failures, efficient protocol usage, and real-time processing capabilities.
Implementation Suggestions
The technology stack will include Python with Telethon/Pyrogram for MTProto implementation, Modal for orchestration, DuckDB for processing, and S3 for storage. The development will be phased, starting with basic collection capabilities, followed by enhanced anonymization, monitoring and alerts, and concluding with documentation and review.
Additional Considerations
The system will be designed to handle growing message volumes, adapt to changes in the MTProto protocol, and maintain clear code and documentation. Cost efficiency will be a priority, with a focus on optimizing resource usage and respecting Telegram’s rate limits.
This bounty aims to create a privacy-conscious data collection system for Telegram that provides valuable insights while ensuring user privacy and compliance with platform policies. The system should be built with a strong focus on data protection while still enabling meaningful analytics capabilities.