Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
If you’re looking for a way to keep your conversations over text private, it’s crucial to choose your messaging app carefully. Not all of them are end-to-end encrypted (E2EE), and others might have security holes that compromise your privacy.
Simply put, E2EE means that only you (the sender) and your recipient can see the contents of your messages. This — most importantly — excludes any third parties, like your mobile carrier, internet service provider (ISP), and phone manufacturer. Some users may want this extra layer of protection to help prevent any outside snooping from the government and other organizations that may try to use your private conversations against you.
All of the apps listed here are free and offer E2EE, so you can…
