Channel/Group Restrictions#
If you encounter the following prompt when entering a group or channel on Telegram:
Reason:This channel can't be displayed because it was used to spread pornographic content.
Someone posted pornographic content in the group and it was reported, resulting in restrictions imposed by Telegram.
Telegram only handles reports and does not actively review content. If there are no reports, there will be no restrictions.
There are two situations:
Only the client downloaded from the App Store on iOS & Mac will have this restriction. This is due to Apple's restrictions on content available on the App Store. Other clients do not have this restriction and can enter the group normally. You can use the following methods to remove the restriction.
All clients and the web version cannot enter or display messages in this group, indicating a permanent ban with no solution.
Methods to remove the restriction:
Four methods to enable:
Method a: Open the Desktop client, click on the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner: ๐ Settings ๐ Privacy and Security ๐ Enable "Show media with sensitive content"
Method b: Open the MacOS desktop client: ๐ Settings ๐ Privacy and Security ๐ Enable "Show media with sensitive content"
Method c: New version of the web version: Visit the official website using a mobile or computer browser: https://web.telegram.org
Log in with your phone number (the verification code will be sent to the previously logged-in Telegram device/client/app)
Main interface ๐ Three horizontal lines in the upper left corner ๐ Settings ๐ Click on Privacy and Security ๐ Scroll to the bottom ๐ Enable Disable filtering.
Note: You must use a browser to open it. The verification code will be sent to the previously logged-in Telegram device/client/app. If you open the link directly in Telegram, you will not see the verification code on Telegram.
Method d: Old version of the web version: Visit the official website using a mobile or computer browser: Telegram Web
Log in with your phone number (the verification code will be sent to the previously logged-in Telegram device/client/app)
Main interface ๐ Three horizontal lines in the upper left/right corner ๐ Settings ๐ Enable "Show Sensitive Content"
Note: You must use a browser to open it. The verification code will be sent to the previously logged-in Telegram device/client/app. If you open the link directly in Telegram, you will not see the verification code on Telegram.
Restart the Telegram iOS client, or wait a few minutes and then restart, or log in again.
The overall process is to enable display on the desktop or web version, and it will work on the mobile version without any settings in the mobile version.
Requirements:
Telegram iOS client version โฅ 5.13
Note: Telegram Desktop version client can be used on Windows, MacOS, and Linux systems.
+86 Private Chat Restrictions#
When sending a private chat message to someone on Telegram, you may encounter the following prompt:
Sorry, you can only send messages to mutual contacts at the moment.
Chinese:
Sorry, you are currently restricted from initiating private chat messages.
Sorry, you can only send messages to mutual contacts.
Reason:
In the past, the cryptocurrency community used Telegram to advertise and invite people to groups.
Telegram restricts private chats for accounts linked to +86 mainland China phone numbers.
Restrictions:
Accounts with +86 cannot initiate private chats with non +86 accounts.
Accounts with +86 can initiate private chats with other +86 accounts.
You can reply and communicate if someone initiates a private chat with you.
Newly registered +86 accounts also cannot initiate private chats, but it will be resolved after a period of time.
Also, this bot will not reply with the +86 restriction information. You cannot determine if you are restricted based solely on the bot's response.
Solution:
Appeal to the official Telegram support, but it seems that you need to appeal again after a certain period of time.
Send a message to the official @SpamBot (follow the prompts to proceed), and ignore the reply "You're free as a bird!" This means you are not globally restricted and it is unrelated to the +86 restriction.
Click on the option in the first step: But I can't message non-contacts!
Click on the option in the second step: No, I'll never do any of this!
Enter the content in the third step: accident, and send.
The restriction will be lifted in about 30 minutes, possibly longer. If it is not lifted after about 30 minutes, continue to wait or submit again.
The bot will not reply with the result, so find someone to privately chat with to test.
If the bot's reply is different from the tutorial, carefully read below.
Your account has been restricted by Telegram. You cannot send messages in public groups or initiate private chats.
If you have been reported multiple times in groups and private chats, there is a possibility of being restricted. Reports in private chats and reports from group administrators and bans have a greater impact, but it is not possible to determine who reported or which message triggered the restriction. The restriction is not related to the phone number used for registration; all registered numbers are potentially subject to such restrictions, and it is unrelated to the +86 restriction.
The message from the bot includes the time for the restriction to be lifted, and it will be automatically lifted at that time. It cannot be lifted in advance.
However, the time is in UTC, which is 8 hours behind Beijing time. Beijing time = UTC time + 8 hours.
If there is no time mentioned in the bot's reply, it means it will not be automatically lifted. The specific reason for this situation is unclear, and you can only inquire with the official support.
Endless Loading when Joining a Group#
When clicking on a group or channel link on Telegram, it keeps loading.
There are two possibilities:
If you have opened too many group or channel links and joined too many within a short period of time, you may have been restricted by Telegram. Wait a few hours or 24 hours before trying again.
Within a day, if a user visits more than 200 group or channel links (clicking to open counts as a visit, joining is not necessary), the user will be restricted for several hours. During the restriction period, the user will be unable to open any group or channel links and will experience continuous loading without access.
It is also possible that your network/proxy network is slow.