- The week was awash with information about Whatsapp privacy breaching the policy
- The privacy section allows you to check blocked numbers, enable or disable read receipts and typing indicators.
Image: COURTESY
Regular messages that come from our phones can easily be intercepted by a carrier such as an internet provider but that can end once you are able to find a secure provider.
The week was awash with information about Whatsapp privacy breaching the policy. Here is an alternative messaging app that protects you.
The Signal Messenger app comes in handy by providing end-to-end encryption. This is an alternative to the normal messaging applications we have on our gadgets.
It comes with a reputation for offering the ultimate encrypted messaging experience. It allows you to be able to anonymize your messaging as well as audio and video calls.
It has been going through a revolution in terms of its UI. Once you open the app, you will see a list of your messages or threads that combine messages, photos and calls. When you get to open the messages, you will get to see the data exchanged with the intended recipient.
At the bottom of the screen, you can compose a message, insert stickers, send photos, send an audio note and you can also send a file and your location.
To enhance your privacy, it is crucial you visit the top left corner of the app’s home screen.
It has the network status where you can only communicate with other Signal users on iOS but on Android, it can replace your default SMS app. This means you can send regular text messages to non-signal users and secure messages to Signal users.
It also contains the 'invite your friends' section that allows you to invite your contacts to join the app via text or email messages. This is due to the secure communication between registered users.
The appearance section can help you choose between a light or dark theme depending on your preference. Alternatively, you can use your system’s default so you can combine the two.
The privacy section allows you to check blocked numbers, enable or disable read receipts and typing indicators. You can also be able to enable or disable the Screen Lock and Screen Security features if you do not want other people to access this information.
It uses a signal protocol that provides end-to-end encryption and it applies to messaging, voice and video calls.
This means that data transmitted between two users is only visible to them and no one else.
It has the disappearing messages that were added recently to WhatsApp which sets messages to disappear from both your and recipient’s devices after a set amount of time has elapsed.
It also has the Safety numbers, which helps you to verify that you are communicating with the device you expect to be talking to.
It has the view-once media where on the mobile device, you can configure individual photos and videos to disappear after they have been viewed once.
This kind of messaging app assures you of privacy when communicating with your friends and family.