Telegram Bot API adds suggested posts and direct messages in channels

What this means for you

Telegram channels can now get private messages, and people can suggest a post for a channel, even offering money for it. The channel owner says yes or no, and can pick when it goes out. If the post was paid for, it has to stay up for a full day, or the money does not arrive.

The details

• Direct messages: a channel's direct messages chat is a supergroup with is_direct_messages; ChatFullInfo.parent_chat points to the channel. Send methods take direct_messages_topic_id to reply in a topic.
• Suggesting: suggested_post_parameters on sendMessage, sendPhoto, sendVideo, sendDocument, copyMessage, forwardMessage and others. SuggestedPostParameters.send_date must be 300 seconds to 30 days in the future; if omitted, the approver can publish at any time within 30 days.
• Price: SuggestedPostPrice in XTR (Telegram Stars, 5 to 100,000) or TON (10,000,000 to 10,000,000,000,000 nanograms).
• Approving: approveSuggestedPost (optional send_date, at most 30 days ahead) and declineSuggestedPost. The bot needs can_post_messages in the channel; can_manage_direct_messages is a new admin right.
• Paid posts: Message.is_paid_post; "Such posts must not be deleted for 24 hours to receive the payment."
• Service messages: approved, approval failed, declined, paid and refunded.

What to do next

• Business owners: If you buy or sell posts in Telegram channels, this can now be handled inside Telegram with a set publish date.
• Marketers and agencies: Never delete or replace a paid Telegram post within 24 hours, and agree the publish date in the suggestion.
• Developers: Block deletion of messages with is_paid_post for 24 hours, and validate send_date against the 300 second to 30 day window.