Nowadays whenever we think of communicating with somebody, we mostly think of sending them text messages, photographs or a voice note on WhatApp. We almost cannot imagine a world without chat app like WhatApp anymore.
But when the IT Ministry on Thursday sought a detailed response from WhatsApp on the issue of an Israeli spyware that was allegedly used to target Indian journalists and human rights activists through its platform, it has set off alarm bells in the mind of users who are bothered about their privacy online.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp on Thursday said Indian journalists and human rights activists were among those globally spied upon by unnamed entities using an Israeli sypware Peagasus.
Now that people are aware of the threat, its time to look at safer alternatives. What are these alternatives? Read all about them below!
Some Safe Alternatives to WhatsApp
When a user is looking for a safe communication app it is important to check if the service shares your information and data with third parties. Moreover, the service should encrypt your messages, otherwise they will be easy to hack and get a hold of. Below are the apps that are safe alternatives to WhatsApp:
Surespot
Signal
Wire
Threema
Telegram
Surespot
Surespot
The first alternative is Surespot. This is the safest alternative of them all. It is a messenger service, just like WhatsApp, except Surespot focuses on safety and privacy. They use the strong 256-bit AES-GCM encryption and end-to-end encryption. Moreover, Surespot uses SSL/TLS protocols. This combination makes sure all communication between your device and the server is encrypted.
You can use Surespot completely anonymously. You don’t even have to share your phone number and contact list with the app. Furthermore, Surespot uses an encrypted storage for your chat history, on your own device.
Signal
The second alternative to WhatsApp is Signal. This application is very safe, trustworthy and user-friendly. All traffic is encrypted end-to-end with Signal. They also offer extended protection against MITM attacks, where hackers try to intercept your traffic.
Signal also uses SSL/TLS protocols and doesn’t keep any user logs. You can choose whether or not you give the app access to your contact list. Moreover, your chat history is encrypted and saved on your device. This way you prevent leaking any information when your telephone is lost or stolen.
Wire
The third alternative to WhatsApp is Wire. This is a well-protected chat service. They claim to be the safest chat app on the market. With this app, your messages will be sent with (HMAC-SHA 256-bit) end-to-end encryption. And all video calls will be protected with SRTP encryption. This is generally considered a strong protection of data. Wire encrypts all your messages and saves them on your phone.
The app offers this solid protection on several operating systems. You can use the app on Android, iOS, and Windows. Moreover, you can use it in a web browser which means everyone can use it regardless of their operating system. You can also log in on several devices at the same time.
Threema
Another alternative to WhatsApp is Threema. Threema is a chat services that focuses on security and anonymity. Threema is situated in Switzerland, which means it has to adhere to strict European security rules for messenger services. On their website they present 6 guarantees that their users can rely on. Among these are a guarantee for complete anonymity and excellent encryption.
Threema uses 256-bit encryption and all the messages are encrypted from end-to-end. Furthermore, they offer strong protections against MITM attacks. This way they prevent third parties from intercepting your chat traffic. Your chat history is safely kept on your own devices. This means none of your personal information is saved on the Threema servers.
Telegram
The final alternative to WhatsApp is Telegram. This is probably the best known alternative and it already has 200 million active users around the world. Telegram was the first chat service to use end-to-end encryption. They use the secure 256-bit symmetric AES encryption. Furthermore, Telegram is a very fast messenger service because they have servers all around the globe.
Telegram has a lot of platform options; you can use the service on almost all devices and operating systems. Telegram also has some other interesting functions. They offer the option to create a group chat that up to 100.000 people can join. Moreover, there is no limit to the amount of pictures or files you can share.
