INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Best encrypted messaging appsThe proliferation of messaging apps across mobile devices means that we can keep in touch with dozens of people
at once, from friends and family to clients and colleagues, even if they happen to be on the other side of the world
But to ensure that your conversations stay private, you really need to get one of the secure mobile messaging apps on offer out there.These
what's being said.Encryption means that even if someone should hack the messaging app's servers, or tap into your conversations thanks to
the badly secured Wi-Fi at your local coffee shop, they still won't be able to interpret the messages
Here are the best Android apps with this feature.One of our best VPN services can also help you stay secure online1
SignalThe gold standard of encrypted messagingOpen source, industry-leading encryptionSupports disappearing messages tooRather sparse
interfaceSignal is widely regarded as the gold standard of encrypted messaging apps, not least because its encryption engine is open source
and available for anyone to inspect
That doesn't make it any easier to hack, but it does mean there are a lot more pairs of eyes looking at the robustness of the encryption
methods.Besides the industry-leading encryption on offer here, the app itself is fairly plain and basic in terms of visuals and appearance
It does support group chats though, as well as the sending of files and photos in addition to text, so you're going to be pretty well
the person you're chatting with both need to have Signal installed for the encryption feature to function properly, otherwise Signal doesn't
have enough control over both ends of the conversation.The app also includes several other useful features on top of the tight security,
such as video calling, and disappearing messages that vanish after a certain time period (perfect for those conversations you don't want to
TelegramKeep your chats securely lockedOffers all the key IM featuresPolished and intuitive interfaceEnd-to-end encryption isn't
defaultTelegram is almost as well-respected as Signal is, although its encryption methods aren't open source and thus haven't been as well
audited by third-party security experts
What it does have in its favor is a slicker interface, if that's important to you.Another black mark against Telegram is that end-to-end
encryption isn't enabled by default, so you need to make sure the Secret mode is activated before you can be sure that no one else is going
to tap into your communications
Other types of chat and file transfer are encrypted, but only for part of their journey to other parties.Those caveats aside, Telegram
impresses in most areas, with features like chat backups and disappearing messages (messages with expiry times attached)
You can load up group chats, make video calls and more, and in use it's just as responsive and intuitive as the other messaging apps out
there.If you need all the bells and whistles of an instant messenger, like stickers and audio memos, and even basic photo and video editing,
Telegram is a solid choice
Just be sure to enable the Secret mode for the most secure messaging.3
WhatsAppThe fully featured instant messengerYour contacts probably already use itVery secure encryption standardOwned by FacebookYou're no
doubt already familiar with WhatsApp as one of the best messaging apps out there, but you might not have realized that it offers end-to-end
As well as the standard text-based conversations, it's able to handle video calls, group chats, location sharing, and the transferring of
You can ping a lot of people at once with the Broadcast feature, leave voice memos, and more besides.WhatsApp's immense popularity works in
its favor as well, because the chances are that the people in your contacts list already have it installed to keep in touch with friends and
is that it is, of course, owned by Facebook, which means you're contributing to the data collection practices of the world's biggest social
Facebook can't read your messages (the end-to-end encryption prevents that), but it can log other data about you for marketing purposes,
like the location of your phone.4
SilenceProtection for your textsEnd-to-end encryption for SMS/MMSTop-tier encryption standardSMS not as secure as IMThe unfussy, no-frills
It deals directly with SMS and MMS, rather than chat protocols that work over the web.It is in fact a spin-off from Signal, and uses the
cracked or unlocked by whatever government agency wants to get its hands on your conversation history
If you wanted to, you could use Silence and Signal together.So you get all of the benefits of SMS/MMS, like the ability to use it without
Wi-Fi, as well as all the drawbacks, like limited support for group chats and no video calling
As you're using SMS/MMS, your phone network can tell who you're texting, even if it can't tell what's being said thanks to the encryption
applied.To make sure everything is secured as it should be, you need to enter a unique passphrase to keep the app locked
Facebook MessengerSocial networking with added encryptionPacked with diverting featuresAlready very popularEnd-to-end encryption not on by
hackers, demanded by the government, or spied on by Facebook staff (yes, it's the same Signal protocol used by WhatsApp and Silence)
You do need to turn the feature on though, via the Secret Conversation setting you'll find in the conversation options.At the same time, of
course, you're contributing to the masses of data that Facebook holds on you, as you are with WhatsApp
The content of your messages is all safe, but Messenger will take note of who you're chatting with and where from, which in Facebook's eyes
helps it to improve products and services
You should only use Messenger if you're comfortable with Facebook's data and privacy practices.Outside of the encryption options, you get
location, easy group chatting, stickers and GIFs, video calling, and so on
There's even a range of simple games you can play inside the app.You can't fault Facebook Messenger from a usability point of view, but
having to jump through an extra hoop to get encryption enabled is disappointing, and you can't encrypt conversations you've already had
On the plus side, it's unlikely you'll have to tell your contacts to install another app, as they probably already have this set
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