diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b92db10af..3a975f9a1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - Acquisition functions are now their own objects
 - `acquisition_function_cls` constructor parameter renamed to `acquisition_function`
 - User guide now explains the new objective classes
+- Telemetry deactivation warning is only shown to developers
 
 ### Removed
 - `model_params` attribute from `Surrogate` base class, `GaussianProcessSurrogate` and
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 624edd03d..1a59e1c25 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -292,6 +292,18 @@ The available groups are:
 - `test`: Required for running the tests.
 - `dev`: All of the above plus `tox` and `pip-audit`. For code contributors.
 
+## Telemetry
+BayBE collects anonymous usage statistics **only** for employees of Merck KGaA, 
+Darmstadt, Germany and/or its affiliates. The recording of metrics is turned off for
+all other users and is impossible due to a VPN block. In any case, the usage statistics
+do **not** involve logging of recorded measurements, targets/parameters or their names
+or any project information that would allow for reconstruction of details. The user and
+host machine names are irreversibly anonymized.
+- You can verify the above statements by studying the open-source code in the
+  `telemetry` module.
+- You can always deactivate all telemetry by setting the environment variable 
+  `BAYBE_TELEMETRY_ENABLED` to `false` or `off`. For details please consult
+  [this page](https://emdgroup.github.io/baybe/_autosummary/baybe.telemetry.html).
 
 ## Authors
 
diff --git a/baybe/telemetry.py b/baybe/telemetry.py
index 31aeddd0e..4f3ff9e7c 100644
--- a/baybe/telemetry.py
+++ b/baybe/telemetry.py
@@ -221,12 +221,15 @@ def is_enabled() -> bool:
         # any telemetry timeouts or interference for the user in case of unexpected
         # errors. Possible ones are for instance ``socket.gaierror`` in case the user
         # has no internet connection.
-        warnings.warn(
-            f"WARNING: BayBE Telemetry endpoint {_endpoint_url} cannot be reached. "
-            "Disabling telemetry. The exception encountered was: "
-            f"{type(ex).__name__}, {ex}",
-            UserWarning,
-        )
+        if os.environ.get(VARNAME_TELEMETRY_USERNAME, "").startswith("DEV_"):
+            # This warning is only printed for developers to make them aware of
+            # potential issues
+            warnings.warn(
+                f"WARNING: BayBE Telemetry endpoint {_endpoint_url} cannot be reached. "
+                "Disabling telemetry. The exception encountered was: "
+                f"{type(ex).__name__}, {ex}",
+                UserWarning,
+            )
         os.environ[VARNAME_TELEMETRY_ENABLED] = "false"