Telegram and Disinformation: A Systematic Review of Toxic Content in the Age of Polycrisis

This systematic review examines 34 studies on Telegram and disinformation, arguing that the uncertainty and instability associated with the polycrisis have increased the prominence of semi-regulated platforms as hubs for misinformation. The authors identify the dominant themes in the literature, including the Russo-Ukrainian War, COVID-19, political propaganda, conspiracy theories, hate speech, and platform governance, while highlighting Telegram’s limited moderation, group-based architecture, and encrypted communication as key factors enabling the spread of disinformation. The review concludes that existing research remains methodologically fragmented and calls for platform-specific strategies, greater transparency and accountability, improved monitoring, and stronger media literacy to counter disinformation in an increasingly fragile digital information ecosystem