PrivacyFocus

Encrypted Messaging

Messaging apps with end-to-end encryption that keep your conversations private from everyone — including the app provider.

End-to-end encrypted messaging means that only you and the person you are talking to can read your messages. Not the app company, not your ISP, not law enforcement without access to your physical device. Signal pioneered the protocol that is now used by WhatsApp and others, but not all implementations are equal. Key differences include metadata collection (who you talk to and when), whether the app is open-source, and whether it requires a phone number to register.