The majority people in the world use messengers like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Snapchat. The problem, though, is that the companies running many of these services harvest an enormous amount of your data, which they then use to spin big profits.
To make matters worse, they can often see and record what you’re talking about in your private chats — especially bad when you consider that they may be legally compelled by federal agencies to hand over this information.
Thankfully, there are other apps and tools out there that you can use to ensure that your chats and data are not subject to prying eyes.
Signal
Started in 2014, Signal has become the “gold standard” of private messenger apps. Not only is it extremely easy to install and use, it comes with plenty of the same features that you’d find in messengers like WhatsApp.
Available on Android, iOS, Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Signal is the app that most people should give a try as they make their social lives more private. Using Signal means that no one can ever see what you’re chatting about, and the organisation itself is unable to hand over any meaningful information, even to government agencies. Personally, this is the messaging app that I use most often, and the one that I feel provides the most value.
SimpleX Chat
More complex than Signal but also more private, SimpleX Chat is relatively new in the privacy space, but has become a favourite for many privacy-conscious individuals. What sets this service apart from others is the fact that you don’t need any sort of identification in order to start chatting to other people: no phone numbers, email addresses, or any other permanent ID.
SimpleX Chat is ideal for those that would prefer to try and keep their chats anonymous wherever possible. Just keep in mind that there’s more of a learning curve here when compared to Signal.
Session
Session is a decentralised instant messenger service that focusses on providing a private space for people to talk to one another. The app attempts to balance anonymity, functionality, accessibility, and security, and does so by using powerful end-to-end encryption technologies.
Similarly to SimpleX Chat, Session is aimed more toward people that are technically-inclined, but it’s still worth it for everyone to try, doubly so if Signal or SimpleX Chat don’t quite meet your needs.
Briar
Briar has been around for a long time, and is the top choice for anyone living in countries with heavy censorship, or don’t always have a reliable Internet connection. What makes Briar unique is that it supports offline messaging, meaning that you’re able to chat with other Briar uses using Bluetooth or a Wi-Fi connection. When it is connected to the Internet, Briar utilises the Tor network in order to protect the identities of its users.
Briar is not for everyone, and its lack of features makes it a hard sell to people who have come to expect certain things from their messaging service.
Element
Build on top of the Matrix protocol, Element is an instant messenger with a focus on groups and video calling. In other words, it’s the perfect replacement for services like Discord (which has a variety of its own privacy issues). You’ll find a wide range of different groups and organisations already using Element, and their latest app is much more user-friendly than previous iterations.
Element offers desktop and mobile apps, but it’s also perfectly usable within your browser of choice, of which I recommend either Firefox or Brave.