The widespread availability of messaging apps has facilitated global communication and friendship-building. However, with the proliferation of digital channels for social interaction comes an increase in the number of potential entry points for malicious actors seeking to compromise your confidentiality.
Third parties, such as the companies behind the apps, and governments that monitor individuals’ online activity, may be able to access users’ private messages. Remember that your interactions and files may not be completely safe in apps like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook Messenger because they do not use end-to-end encryption.
On the other hand, several messaging apps have improved their security and privacy by implementing end-to-end encryption. With this safeguard in place, no one but the intended receiver and yourself will be able to see the message. In today’s technologically interconnected world, the most secure chat applications are not just in high demand; they are essential.
There is no need for secrecy concerns; all of these apps are open source and provide E2EE for no cost. So, let’s dive in.
Best Secure Messaging Apps
SIGNAL
As one of the most secure messaging apps available, Signal is used by millions of people worldwide to have instant, free, and encrypted conversations. Signal is one of the only encrypted messaging apps whose privacy-preserving technology is constantly turned on, so your conversations and photos are always safe from being leaked to the wrong people.
Signal is a universally accessible encrypted messaging service that prioritizes secure voice and text communications from beginning to end. The acquisition by Twitter was made with the intention of strengthening the encryption and privacy protections already present in the platform. Each communication in a user’s chat history can be set to automatically delete after a user-selected amount of time.
TELEGRAM
The encrypted chat app Telegram is another excellent option. Telegram’s Secret Chats feature enables you to transmit messages via E2EE and provides server-client encryption for both public and private conversations. Self-destructing messages can be sent on Telegram and will vanish when a set amount of time has passed. Telegram will also remove the message from the recipient’s device if you delete it from the chat.
The free version of Telegram still has many useful features, while the premium version adds speedier downloads and larger file uploads.
iMessage
Due to its end-to-end encryption feature, iMessage is one of the most private chat messaging programs for iPhone users. Also, users can decide how long a message should remain and how often its recipients can access it. Strange as it may seem, this is actually a key factor in keeping users’ information safe.
Still, there is criticism about the lack of cloud backup alternatives for iPhone users, which is to be expected given the nature of private chat messaging apps in general. In this case, Apple encrypts all of the data saved in the cloud, so even if the iCloud were ever stolen, the messages might still be easily decipherable.
WhatsApp is an exception to the general lack of transparency regarding privacy practices across everything controlled by Meta (Facebook’s parent company). WhatsApp’s messaging and phone calls are automatically set to use E2EE. Like Signal and Telegram, WhatsApp lets you communicate encrypted text, photos, and videos to your contacts in a group conversation.
While the company’s new privacy policy has drawn criticism for requiring users to share data with Facebook when interacting with businesses via the app, this does not apply to users’ normal, private interactions within the platform.
WIRE
Wire is an alternative to secure messaging software. Wire is one of the few programs that automatically encrypts all of your data, including messages, photos, and files. Wire’s encryption is always enabled and works invisibly in the background, so there’s no need to turn it on.
In addition, each message is encrypted with a unique key, minimizing the damage that may be done by the compromise of a single key. Because it is open-source, anyone can access and modify the code on GitHub to ensure its accuracy. Analytics and user information are not shared with any outside parties by Wire.
Conclusion
The aforementioned newer apps with more security-focused features were developed in response to the lack of full privacy on earlier, well-known services. Constant reports of hacking and other security lapses in our hyper-connected digital society have taught us to be wary of sharing personal information online.
Concerns about being spied on or having one’s communications shared without permission make data privacy and security paramount in today’s connected society. So, if you want to keep your conversations with loved ones and coworkers safe from hackers, use only the most secure chat programs.
