Telegram /me Bot

A bot that implements the IRC-style /me command in Telegram chats. Allows users to send messages in the format "action", for example:
*is drinking coffee* or *is going on vacation*.

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Caution

⚠️ Automating user accounts violates Telegram’s Terms of Service.

⚠️ The author is not responsible for any consequences of using the bot in user mode.

⚠️ For public or long-term use, the bot mode is strongly recommended.

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Features

• Supports the /me <action> command in group chats.
• Automatically deletes the original command message.
• Sends the result as an anonymous message from the group (only when running as a user account with admin anonymity enabled).

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Important: Two Operating Modes

The bot can run in two modes — as an official Telegram Bot or as a regular user account. The chosen mode affects appearance and functionality.

1. Telegram Bot Mode (Official Bot)

• Pros:

  • Easy and legitimate setup via @BotFather.
  • No phone number required.

• Cons:

  • All messages will appear from the bot (e.g., "@MyMeBot: is drinking coffee").
  • Cannot hide the fact that a bot is being used.

• Required chat permissions:

  • Delete messages (can_delete_messages).
  • Send messages.

2. User Account Mode

• Pros:

  • If the account is added as an anonymous admin, messages appear from the group itself, with no sender name shown — visually matching the IRC /me style (*is drinking coffee*).

• Cons:

  • Requires authentication using a real Telegram account (phone number).
  • Automating user accounts violates Telegram’s Terms of Service and may result in account termination.
  • Requires manual admin setup in each chat.

• Required chat permissions:

  • Promote the account to admin.
  • Enable "Remain Anonymous" during admin promotion (or in group admin settings).
  • Grant "Delete messages" permission.

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Installation and Setup

1. Install uv:

   Use curl to download the script and execute it with sh:

   curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

   If your system doesn't have curl, you can use wget:

   wget -qO- https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

2. Install the bot:

   git clone https://github.com/katulos/mebot
   cd mebot
   uv venv
   source .venv/bin/activate
   uv pip install .

3. Create a .secrets.yml file and configure it based on your mode:

   For Telegram Bot mode:

   api_id: your_api_id
   api_hash: your_api_hash
   bot_token: your_bot_token_here
   admins: [your_telegram_id]   # List of admin Telegram IDs

   For User Account mode:

   api_id: your_api_id
   api_hash: your_api_hash
   phone: your_phone_number
   admins: [your_telegram_id]   # List of admin Telegram IDs

   You can obtain api_id and api_hash at my.telegram.org.

4. Run the bot:

   mebot start

   On first launch in user mode, you’ll be prompted to enter a verification code sent by Telegram.

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Chat Configuration

For bot mode:

1. Add the bot to your group.
2. Promote it to admin with "Delete messages" permission.

For user mode:

1. Add your user account to the group.
2. Promote it to admin and ensure "Remain Anonymous" is enabled.
3. Grant the "Delete messages" permission.

Then use the command:

/me is dancing in the rain

→ The original message will be deleted, and the chat will show:

*Username is dancing in the rain*

(In user mode with anonymity: no sender shown; in bot mode: message appears from the bot.)

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License

MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.