Link filter

Tip: change one option at a time and verify the result in the group so false positives are easy to spot.

In short#

The link filter can block or limit different link families independently. Use allowlists for trusted domains and denylists for known bad sources.

How it works#

1. Defendy classifies a detected item as an external link, Telegram source, invitation, IP address or mention.
2. The mode and allow/deny lists decide whether that item is permitted.
3. If it is forbidden, Defendy deletes the message when enabled and applies the configured moderation action.

Set it up step by step#

1. Open Defendy in Telegram and choose the group you want to configure.
2. Compare the current values with the defaults explained below.
3. Change one option at a time; use the least disruptive value that meets your goal.
4. Check the result in the group after saving.

Every setting explained#

Enable filter#

Default: Off.

Turns link filtering on for the group.

Delete violating message#

Default: On.

Removes the message that triggered the filter. If disabled, the user action can still be applied while the original message remains visible.

Action#

Default: Nothing.

What Defendy does after a violation: nothing, warn, notify, mute, kick or ban depending on the feature.

Action duration#

Default: 3600 sec.

How long a temporary mute or restriction lasts. Zero usually means no duration or permanent action.

Warning weight#

Default: 1.

How many warning points this violation adds to the warning system.

External link mode#

Default: Off.

Disabled, enabled for all external links, or blacklist-only mode.

Allow top websites#

Default: Off.

Keeps common high-trust websites from being treated as violations.

Allow top Runet websites#

Default: Off.

Same idea for common Russian-language web resources.

Unclickable external links#

Default: On.

Handles links that Telegram displays as text instead of clickable URLs.

Telegram link mode#

Default: Off.

Disabled, enabled for Telegram links, or blacklist-only mode.

React to IP addresses#

Default: Off.

When enabled, a numeric IPv4/IPv6 address is treated like an external link. The stored setting is inverted (ignore_ip_addresses), so the switch is off by default.

Invite links#

Default: On.

Controls links like t.me/joinchat and Telegram invite URLs.

Group quotes#

Default: Off.

Handles forwarded-style quote links from other groups and channels.

User mentions#

Default: Off (control unavailable).

Reserved setting for allowing @username mentions. The current WebApp control is disabled, so administrators cannot change it yet.

Practical example#

A project chat can delete all external links except example.com and its documentation subdomain, while leaving user mentions untouched. Test masked links such as site[.]com separately.

Recommendations#

• Whitelist entries can include domains, IP ranges and Telegram sources.
• Blacklist-only mode is safer for communities that share links often.

Troubleshooting#

• Check that Defendy is still an administrator in the group.
• Refresh the settings panel and make sure you are editing the correct group.
• If a setting is saved but does not work, check the bot permissions in Telegram.
• If you are not sure what happened, open the moderation log.