Can Telegram bots send messages to only specific individuals in a group chat, keeping those messages hidden from all the other members? For example, consider a group with 200 users where the bot is also a member. When one user issues the command /help, the bot’s reply is directed solely to that user without being visible to the rest of the group.
Based on my experience working with Telegram bots, they cannot send a direct or hidden message within a group chat context in response to a command. The typical behavior is that any reply sent by the bot in response to a group command is visible to everyone. To achieve private messaging, the bot must initiate a direct conversation with the user first, assuming the user has started a chat with the bot. This is a built in security measure in Telegram’s API to protect user privacy.
i think it can’t do it in group chats - the bot needs an existing pvt chat with the user. also its not that automatc, so you need to prompt the user to start a convo with the bot.
I have experimented with Telegram bots in various projects and encountered similar challenges. In my experience, when a command is issued within a group chat, the Telegram API is designed to show the response to everyone, which means private replies aren’t supported unless the bot has an established direct conversation with the user. I tried several workarounds like inline keyboards to trigger private chats, but ultimately the best approach was to ask users to start a private conversation. This limitation has always required a careful design choice when planning any selective messaging functionality.