Your Texts Are Not Private#
Regular SMS text messages are stored by your phone carrier and can be accessed by law enforcement with a simple court order — or in some cases without one. They travel unencrypted over carrier networks. They are not secure.
iMessage (Apple’s blue-bubble messages) is encrypted, but that encryption only applies between Apple devices. Switch to an Android and those “secure” messages become standard SMS. Apple also has the technical ability to access iMessage content and has done so when required by law.
WhatsApp uses strong encryption, but it is owned by Meta (Facebook) and collects extensive metadata — who you talk to, when, how often, from where. It has a history of data sharing with law enforcement and its parent company.
The good news: there is a free, easy-to-use alternative that is genuinely private.
What We Recommend#
Signal — The Gold Standard#
Signal is a free, open-source messaging app that provides true end-to-end encryption for text messages, voice calls, video calls, and file sharing. It is developed by a nonprofit. It does not collect metadata beyond what is technically necessary (your phone number and last connection time). It is recommended by security researchers, journalists, and privacy advocates worldwide.
When you message someone on Signal, only you and them can read it. Not Signal. Not the government (without hacking the actual device). Not anyone.
Get it: signal.org — available for Android, iPhone, and desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
After installing, work through these settings:
- Notifications: Set to show “no name or content” so message previews don’t appear on your lock screen (Settings → Notifications → Show → No Name or Message)
- Disappearing Messages: Set a default timer so messages automatically delete after a set period — good practice for all conversations (Settings → Privacy → Default Timer)
- Screen Lock: Enable a password requirement to open Signal, separate from your phone’s lock screen (Settings → Privacy → Screen Lock)
- Phone number visibility: Turn off so your number isn’t visible to everyone in group chats (Settings → Privacy → Phone Number)
- Registration Lock: Enable this to prevent someone from registering your phone number on a new device without your PIN (Settings → Account → Registration Lock)
- PIN: Set a strong PIN — it protects your account if your number is ever ported to another device
Verify your contacts: For sensitive one-on-one conversations, verify Safety Numbers in person — both of you open the conversation, tap the contact’s name, tap “View Safety Number,” and scan each other’s QR codes. This confirms you’re talking to who you think you are and no one is intercepting messages.
Large groups: Signal groups cannot protect against a malicious insider who screenshots or records a conversation. Treat large group chats as semi-public spaces. If you want to participate anonymously in a large group, create a username before joining — note that Signal logs username changes within chats.
Keep it clean: Periodically delete old conversations and remove inactive members from group chats. Less data stored means less exposure if a device is ever lost or seized.
For a thorough walkthrough of Signal’s security settings, see the Library Freedom Project’s Signal Best Practices guide .
Matrix / Element — For Community Groups#
Matrix is an open, decentralized communication protocol — think of it like email, but for messaging. Anyone can run their own Matrix server, and servers federate with each other (like how email works). Element is the most popular app for connecting to Matrix servers.
Matrix is excellent for community groups, collective organizing, and longer-term spaces where you want to own your infrastructure. The Collective may eventually run our own Matrix server for community use — when we do, we’ll announce it through our mailing list.
Get Element: element.io
The “But Nobody I Know Uses Signal” Problem#
This is the hardest part of switching. A private messaging app only works if the people you want to talk to also use it.
Some approaches that work:
- Start small. Ask two or three people you trust and talk to often. Once they’re on it, they’ll bring their contacts.
- Frame it practically. “I’m trying to use Signal because it’s more secure and doesn’t get stored by our phone company” lands better than talking about privacy in abstract terms.
- Lead with features. Signal has good photo and video sharing, voice notes, group chats, and a desktop app — it’s a genuinely good messaging app, not just a privacy tool.
- For elders and less tech-comfortable relatives: Walk them through installation in person. Once it’s set up, it looks and works like any other messaging app.
What About Telegram?#
Telegram is popular and has some community features that Signal lacks (large public channels, bots, etc.), but it is not end-to-end encrypted by default. Regular Telegram chats are stored on Telegram’s servers in readable form. Only “Secret Chats” (a separate, less convenient feature) are truly encrypted.
Telegram has cooperated with law enforcement in multiple countries. Do not use it for sensitive communications.
You Have Finished Privacy 101#
You now have a solid foundation. If you have worked through these guides:
- You are browsing without being tracked
- You are searching without building a Google profile
- Your passwords are unique, strong, and managed securely
- Your email is protected
- Your private conversations are actually private
That is significant. Share these guides with people you care about. Come to a workshop. Help a neighbor set up Signal.
Ready for more? Check out our Advanced Privacy Guide for next steps: VPNs, Tor, secure operating systems, and threat modeling.
Questions or want help in person? contact@klamathtech.diy
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