While we were all figuring out the dangers of certain apps on Android, Pavel Durov’s messenger got its own headache. The A+ badge in Telegram started appearing on channels, and many people immediately had questions: what is it, why is it there, and do you actually need to do anything? Plus, there are rumors circulating online about the dangers of this label for ordinary users. What’s going on?!
Is it fine or actually sketchy?
What Does the A+ Label in Telegram Mean
The A+ label is a small badge next to a channel’s name in Telegram. It means the channel owner is officially registered in the Roskomnadzor (RKN) blogger registry and has confirmed this through a special bot. The badge appeared in April 2025 after a law on mandatory blogger registration came into effect in November 2024.
The initiative was promoted by State Duma deputy Anton Gorelkin — the same one who actively works on internet regulation in Russia. A+ channels, in his interpretation, are platforms that “can be reposted,” and advertisers know for sure they’re dealing with a legitimate platform. Sounds convincing — if you don’t think about the context too long.
Who Needs to Get A+ in Telegram
All owners of channels with an audience of 10,000 or more subscribers are required to obtain the A+ badge in Telegram. And this is not a recommendation — it’s a legal requirement. After a channel crosses the 10,000-subscriber mark, the owner has 10 business days to submit an application to Roskomnadzor.
Got 10 thousand? What if I find them?
If a channel has long since crossed this threshold but hasn’t registered — it’s better not to delay. There’s no point waiting for a “convenient moment”: that moment already came when the subscriber counter crossed 10,000.
How to Register a Telegram Channel with Roskomnadzor
Registering Telegram with RKN is a two-step process. The first step goes through Gosuslugi (the government services portal):
- Go to Gosuslugi and open the blogger channel or page registration service.
- Enter the platform name (Telegram) and channel name, the link, phone number, and email associated with the account.
- Submit the application and save its number (you’ll need it in the next step).
- Within 3 business days, post the application number in the channel description or in a pinned message.
- Wait for Roskomnadzor’s decision (usually up to 10 business days).
Instructions from Roskomnadzor itself
The most common mistakes at this stage: incorrect channel link, outdated username, and (surprisingly) people simply forget to post the application number in the description or remove it before the deadline. After that, the application gets rejected, and you have to start all over again.
How to Get the A+ Label in Telegram
After the application is approved on Gosuslugi, you need to complete the second step — verification through the bot @Trustchannelbot. This is the bot that assigns the A+ badge to the channel:
- Open the bot @Trustchannelbot and provide it with the application number from Gosuslugi.
- Add the bot to the channel with administrator rights, including the right to add members.
- Confirm the owner’s phone number through the bot (it must match the number provided in the application).
- All channel administrators must also confirm their phone numbers through the same bot.
- After verification, the bot will send a request from the Telegram Notification Service for final confirmation.
This is how channels end up registered with Roskomnadzor
The main pitfall is phone numbers. If an administrator was added after the application was submitted, the procedure must be completed for them as well. If the number doesn’t match the one submitted on Gosuslugi — the application gets rejected. It seems like getting A+ is simple, but it’s precisely these small details that break the whole process for most channel owners.
What Happens If You Don’t Register Your Channel with RKN
A registered channel with the A+ label can run ads, collect donations, and exist peacefully. An unregistered one cannot. According to Roskomnadzor’s clarification, a channel without registration at 10,000 subscribers that should have gone through the procedure loses the right to advertising and donations. Plus, other channels are formally not supposed to repost from such a channel.
It’s worth noting here that Roskomnadzor has been blocking Telegram for several months in a row, yet the same regulator continues to require registering channels on it. The logic of domestic internet regulation in all its glory. But rules are rules, and owners of channels with large audiences are better off following them than later explaining to advertisers why ads can’t be placed.
Is It Dangerous to Read Channels with the A+ Label
For readers — almost no. The label only indicates that the channel owner has completed channel registration with Roskomnadzor. It’s not a mark of content quality and not a guarantee of the author’s honesty.
Do we read or do we judge?
The only real nuance concerns subscribers. To obtain the label, the bot @Trustchannelbot is added to the channel with administrator rights, including access to the member list. This means the bot (and therefore, Roskomnadzor’s system) has the technical ability to see who is subscribed to the channel. How much this is used in practice is an open question. But if you’re subscribed to political, opposition, or simply unconventional channels with the A+ label, this fact is worth keeping in mind.
