Nowadays, people across the globe are connected and interact via several chat applications. These are used for private and official purposes. These apps also provide security features to protect the users’ private, personal, and confidential data. People prefer to use apps that provide the best encryption features.
Best Encrypted Messaging Apps
The applications that come with your phone are usually the most popular and used worldwide. These include Google, Samsung and Apple Messages apps, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp and many more. Most people do not bother checking the privacy settings of such applications and thus expose themselves to many vulnerabilities. However, several messaging applications are available in the digital market for users that claim to come up with the best-encrypted features to secure users’ sensitive data against any attack.
Encryption
Before we go on and talk about encrypted apps, it is significant to know what encryption means. “Encryption means to use one or more mathematical techniques to protect digital data and providing a password or key to decrypt the information”. It is a means to convert humanly readable data into a particular coded language which is readable only by machines. Only the sender and receiver can read the actual/original data.
Following chat applications are widely used in UK and Ireland because they safeguard users’ data:
Whatsapp is an end-to-end encrypted chatting application providing features; text messaging, voice notes, and audio and video calls. Being one of the most secure applications, it is used by round-about two billion people across the world. Its users can share text messaging, can make audio and video calls, and can also share documents. Moreover, photos and videos can also be shared by users. Users use this application with complete confidence and without putting their data in danger. The security provided by Whatsapp can be judged from the fact that even WhatsApp has no access to users’ data, nor can WhatsApp read or listen to users’ data and information.
Telegram
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Telegram is one of the most frequently used messaging applications, with round-about five hundred million users worldwide, mainly in Europe. Its features include text messaging and audio and video calls, and users can send unlimited media and document files irrespective of their size. It is more reliable and secure for personal and official use due to its outstanding security features. Users’ data and information are safeguarded by symmetric encryption, thus building a high level of trust among its users.
Viber
Regarding personal privacy, Viber is here to guarantee great safety features. Viber is an end-to-end-encrypted application for communication and assures fool proof security features to secure users’ privacy. It is used by over a million active users internationally. Bring forth features; group chat, text messaging, disappearing messages, and audio and video calls, making it one of the most popular chatting applications in the UK and Ireland. It is elementary to use and requires no fee. All the features can be used entirely for free. Users’ information and data are given complete security. Like Whatsapp and Telegram, Viber also has no access to users’ data, and all users’ information is completely protected.
Facebook Messenger
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When it comes to encrypted messaging, Facebook Messenger might not be the first app you think of. Still, the app’s mobile version has the definitive communication option in private chats. The Secret Chat app requires users to opt-in to this feature in the encrypted way as Signal app. This allows them to send and receive encrypted text, photos and stickers on a mobile device with Snapchat-style self-destructing messages.
Recently, Messenger added end-to-end encryption for one-to-one voice and video calls and end-to-end encryption for group chats, phone calls, and video chats. However, Facebook Messenger is weak in taking screenshots, and the limitations of running and using one device can be problematic.
Conclusion
Today, human life has entered an era of technology. People feel too insecure regarding their privacy and confidentiality. Furthermore, living in a global village, man cannot live in isolation. To fulfil his needs and desires, he must connect and interact with his fellowmen. Applications; Whatsapp, Telegram, Viber, and many more guarantee security to users; data, information, and privacy. In a nutshell, these applications develop confidence and build trust among their users.
Muhammad Asfandyar is a lawyer having extensive experience in creative content writing, proofreading, legal and academic research writing. He can be reached at asfandyar.edw@gmail.com