Nearly everyone reading this piece right now, if not everyone, has used at least one instant messaging application in the past. It could also be that you are still using one right now. After all, how else do we explain a population of about 1.6 billion users on WhatsApp alone?

It is also no news that we rarely think about how safe and secure these apps are before we go for them. All that will change today as we review some of the safest picks for you – and why they have earned such accolades too.

Signal


Even if we did not know any other thing about Signal, we are sure that it is one IM app that is endorsed by Edward Snowden himself.

Being a privacy enthusiast himself, this shows you how much has gone into the privacy and security of this chat app. It is also worthy of note that the app is supported by Brian Acton (co-founder of WhatsApp) who left the WhatsApp team partly because he didn’t agree with how Facebook was running the privacy of the app.

WhatsApp


WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption in the year 2016, and they have only gone on to add more security features between that time and now.

We have seen the inclusion of a two-factor authentication system for better account protection. The app developers have now also allowed for secure login with biometrics (fingerprint and facial unlocking systems). This is alongside the options of using a passcode if that is what the user desires.

Viber


Launched as a competitor to Skype, the Viber app is now the bigger one in terms of privacy and security.

Like WhatsApp, they also brought their end-to-end encryption system to the chat panel in the year 2016. Where they make things better is how they color code chats to show how well it is encrypted. Thus, you are always kept in the loop on how safe and secure the conversation that you are holding with a contact on your list is.

However, it should be noted that end-to-end encryption does not apply to group chats. It would only work in individual chats.

Telegram

Need we say more?
What drove most people to Telegram as a direct competitor to WhatsApp was how simple and efficient everything was on that platform. We also have to mention the fact that they have a better way of keeping media quality (such as from pictures) than WhatsApp can manage.

However, that is not even what makes the app special. Right from the very first build, this has been an app that had security at the core of its operations.

End-to-end encryption is a standard, so we won’t even talk about that here. Disappearing messages that will be shown to the recipient and self-destruct continue to show how secure the channel is.
Likewise, you can order your messages to be deleted on the side of the recipient too to keep a safer profile.

Ensuring Better Chatting Safety

Although these apps are highly safe and secure already, they could leave room for lapses and hacks. Where Viber won’t encrypt group messages from end to end, using the others on a pubic Wi-Fi network will expose all your internet traffic and chat data too.

To put your chat apps on a bigger security platform is to use a secure VPN too. That routes your internet data through a ton of servers, making it impossible for anyone to possibly follow and even hack into your chats.

Source: https://www.algist.com.ng/2020/08/most-secure-messaging-apps-for-2020.html?m=1

Data has turned out to be one of the most valuable assets today. Some governments are said to be in a constant loop of Internet surveillance and data logging. Install one of these 15 secret texting apps to keep your privacy intact.