As first
<https://9to5mac.com/2021/01/06/whatsapp-share-your-data-with-facebook/>
reported yesterday, WhatsApp will soon start sharing your data with Facebook
whether you like it or not. In light of that, many people are searching for
WhatsApp alternatives with deeper focuses on privacy and security. Here are
two recommendations.
Background
First, when WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook for $19 billion, the messaging
app assured users that the acquisition would not bring any changes to its
focus on user privacy and "knowing as little about you as possible." In
2016, WhatsApp began sharing data with Facebook by default, but users still
had the <https://9to5mac.com/2016/08/25/whatsapp-facebook-data-opt-out/>
ability to opt-out.
It was revealed yesterday, however, that WhatsApp is making changes to its
privacy to remove the opt-out option completely, at least
<https://twitter.com/NiamhSweeneyNYC/status/1347184836323237889> outside of
Europe. This has left many people looking for alternatives to WhatsApp for
cross-platform messaging.
But the switch from WhatsApp to alternatives is not as easy as you might
think. For many people, WhatsApp is a primary tool for communicating with
friends and family, and while those of us intertwined in the technology
community might be willing to make the switch, not everyone will feel the
same way.
WhatsApp is referred to by many as the true cross-platform messaging
solution that the world needs. What's important to remember is that
messaging remains end-to-end encrypted, so Facebook (as it stands right now)
can't see the content of messages.
Of course, the ideal solution is for
<https://9to5mac.com/2021/01/07/bring-imessage-to-android/> Apple to bring
iMessage to Android and Windows, but it's highly unlikely that such a
development is even something Apple is considering. Just like one solution
for easy, cross-platform, encrypted video communication would be to bring
FaceTime to non-Apple devices.
Nonetheless, here are some alternatives to WhatsApp for cross-platform
encrypted messaging.
Signal
Signal has seen a dramatic rise in popularity over the last year as people
have turned to new platforms for encrypted communication. The app supports
group text and audio messages, as well as audio and video calls. It's
compatible with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android.
In comparison to WhatsApp, Signal makes its focus on privacy abundantly
clear. There are a variety of touches throughout the Signal application to
underscore this focus, including things such as view-once media, Signal PIN,
and more. Signal is also an independent nonprofit, which means that
development is supported purely by donations from users.
Signal uses end-to-end encryption for messaging, based on the
<https://signal.org/docs/> Signal Protocol, and also doesn't log metadata
about messages or users. The App Privacy label on the App Store indicates
that Signal does not collect any data that is linked to users. A report from
<https://www.wsj.com/articles/signal-the-pros-and-cons-of-a-truly-private-ch
at-app-11592127002> The Wall Street Journal shed more detail on this:
The app also doesn't log much information (metadata) about the nature of the
messages themselves. "Signal makes it a point to keep as little data as
possible while still being able to provide service," said Lujo Bauer,
professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University.
By all indications, if you're looking for a new messaging application that's
biggest focus is on privacy and encryption, Signal is an excellent option.
Signal is available on the App Store
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669> as a
free download.
Telegram
Telegram is one of the most popular alternatives to WhatsApp, providing a
cross-platform solution for messaging with end-to-end encryption that is
also completely free to use. In fact, Telegram actually claims to be more
secure than WhatsApp because of its use of the
<https://core.telegram.org/mtproto> MTProto protocol:
Telegram is more secure than mass market messengers like WhatsApp and Line.
We are based on the MTProto protocol, built upon time-tested algorithms to
make security compatible with high-speed delivery and reliability on weak
connections. We are continuously working with the community to improve the
security of our protocol and clients.
As for protecting data other than the encrypted messages themselves,
Telegram says that it uses a distributed infrastructure. "The relevant
decryption keys are split into parts and are never kept in the same place as
the data they protect," the company explains.
The new App Privacy labels on the App Store show three pieces of data that
"may be collected and linked to your identity,"
including contact information, contacts, and identifiers.
Telegram is available on the
<https://apps.apple.com/us/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807> App Store as
a free download.
Wrap-up
Again, like I wrote at the beginning of this piece, switching from WhatsApp
to something like Telegram or Signal isn't quite as seamless as it might
appear. Neither app has garnered the mainstream adoption of WhatsApp, but if
you want to be the anti-Facebook force among your friends and family, Signal
and Telegram are both great alternatives.
By <https://9to5mac.com/author/chmiller44/> Chance Miller
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