Today, internet privacy has become a hot topic amongst internet users and data security specialists. With all the security issues, data loss, and hacking cases happening every day, now is an excellent time to start paying attention to your safety online, especially on Messaging apps.

What is a safe messaging app?

The safest messaging application is one that is encrypted. It should have features running in the background to ensure your data is safe from prying eyes.

End-to-end encryption

With end-to-end Encryption, your conversations, calls, or chats in groups are scrambled, making it impossible for anyone other than the sender or recipient to read. Ensure the app you use has encryption in their software.

Look for an application that offers encryption as the default setting, as this is the only sure way to guarantee the protection of your chats, media, and calls at all times.

Open source coding

Revealing an app’s source code to the public is one of the most significant indicators of an application’s integrity.

Making the source code public opens up the app to public accountability and auditing. This helps to bring attention to vulnerabilities or weaknesses in the app.

Data collection

Even with end-to-end encryption, some apps still collect user metadata. This includes information about whom you talk to, the device you use, your phone number, IP address, and more. Setting up a VPN for data encryption is the best way to prevent this data collection and further enhance your online privacy.

Top 5 safest messaging apps that care about your privacy and security

• Signal

This app has been termed as the gold standard for security and privacy. It is available free for android and iPhone and comes with a desktop client.
Some of its unique features include end-to-end encryption for all user activity on the platform and open source transparency. It comes with a disappearing messaging feature that allows users to set messages
to permanently disappear after a set time.

The app comes with password security and only stores minimal metadata needed for the functionality of the app.

• Wickr Me

This app is set apart from the pack because of its secure messaging options for businesses and personal use. It offers end-to-end encryption for messages, calls, and voice chats, screenshot detection that sends a notification whenever someone tries to screenshot conversations, and screen overlay protection to protect the app from TapJacking.
The icing on the cake is the secure shredder that ensures deleted files cannot be recovered even with unique technology or tools.

• Telegram

With the user base on telegram growing, it is one of the best apps for security and safety in 2021. It comes with end-to-end encryption, including a secret chat option that ensures chats are not saved on the telegram servers. Telegram also offers passcode locks for your app and two-step verification for the app as an additional security layer.
Telegram is open source, meaning any programmer can check the source code, API, and protocol to ensure the app’s security is up to standards at all times. Self-destructing messaging and remote logout options are also present on this app.

• Threema

This secure paid messaging application works to ensure your information is safe from prying eyes. This is one of the very few apps that allow users anonymity and offers encryption for all app activity. It goes a little further to ensure user contact data is not stored on the servers. All messages sent through the server automatically delete once the recipient receives the message.

• Wire

This messaging app comes with end-to-end encryption as a default setting to ensure user data and activity is always protected. The app issues a new encryption key for every message sent to reduce the chance of using a compromised key. It is also open-source, and the app does not sell or harvest user data.

Other features include file-sharing capabilities, group chat, ephemeral conversations, and conferencing support.

Even with the safest apps, you can enhance your safety online by:
● Limiting the amount of data you share online
● Installing an antivirus program on your devices
● Reading the privacy policy before signing up on an app

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