Other recommendations for privacy-first applications can be found here:

mypersonalprivacy.net

#Security #Privacy #Signal #Proton

/End

There is no such thing as perfect privacy on the Internet, but Signal and Proton both provide vastly better protection for your privacy.

Due to the nature of the email protocol, Proton collects a bit more information but does a good job of protecting the content of email messages you send to other Proton users. Proton does not monetize your private information and operates under Swiss law with high levels of privacy protection.

Please note: Nothing in this summary recommends or suggests using Signal or Proton Mail for illegal purposes.

Signal retains extremely little personal information and does not monetize any information about individuals.

Based on publicly available information, here is a summary of the information that can be acquired from Signal and Proton by law enforcement:

mypersonalprivacy.net/assessing-pr...

Signal and Proton both have a reputation for privacy in their respective messaging and email applications. I thought it would be good to try to provide a summary of their privacy positions and what information they can actually provide to law enforcement.

Does the application vendor profit from selling our private information?
Does the application vendor minimize the information that they collect and retain?
Under what legal jurisdiction do these vendors operate?

Some of companies pro-actively work with law enforcement and government agencies, and all of them will surrender our information when legally required to.

Here are some basic factors that affect our risk when using applications:

It seems reasonable to me to be skeptical – we live with a large number of Internet vendor applications and services that do not respect our privacy and which capture information about us to sell to data brokers or advertisers.

Signal and Proton Mail – What Private Information Can Law Enforcement Access?

On a regular basis I see questions being asked about the privacy of Signal and Proton Mail in terms of potential law enforcement access.

@guykawasaki.bsky.social @fschaub.bsky.social @us.theconversation.com

Privacy is more important than ever. Stay informed and protect your data.

#Security #Privacy #PrivacyLaw #Signal

(5/5)

Want to dive deeper into Signal?

🔹 My free guides: mypersonalprivacy.net
🔹 Guy’s electronic book "Everybody has Something to Hide" ($1 on Kindle): a.co/d/07ynsh5S

(4/5)

Fun fact: Guy Kawasaki and I both worked at Apple in the 80s! While I was an IT contractor, he was developing the "Apple Evangelist" program. We were all scratching our heads back then wondering what an "Evangelist" was. Now we know it was a marketing masterstroke!

(3/5)

If you have an interest in privacy, I highly recommend following these experts. You'll especially enjoy Guy Kawasaki’s cheerleading for the Signal application. We both share a deep respect for Signal’s security and privacy features.

(2/5)

Webinar: How to have some privacy when AI (and big tech) could be watching YouTube video by The Conversation

Recently The Conversation hosted Anne Toomey McKenna, Guy Kawasaki, and Florian Schaub for a discussion on Internet privacy law (spoiler: it’s not good) and how to improve your privacy.

Watch the recording here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPUP...

(1/5)

No, this is me:
www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-t...

Any thoughts on the other questions?

Appreciate your posts on the current regime. Some questions about the security and privacy of FastAlert:

Is FastAlert an open source project?

Has FastAlert been reviewed by an independent third party security company? If so, is the report available?

Is there a security architecture document?
TIA

I have an encryption joke, but is hard to decipher.

Starting a Signal Group?

A new guide can help you plan, create and manage your group. Designed for the non-technical person and free to download and share:

mypersonalprivacy.net

H/T to the awesome people of Minneapolis!

#Privacy #Security #Signal #Organizing #Resist

Signal and Proton Mail won’t go away, but they might be removed from the Apple and Google stores. Remember ICEBlock? Download Signal and Proton Mail and ask your friends to do the same. Free installation and configuration guides:

mypersonalprivacy.net

#Security #Privacy #Resist #Signal #Proton

Cory Doctorow writes on a number of topics related to technology, business and culture. You can find his article about censorship here:

pluralistic.net/2025/10/20/p...

#Security #Privacy #Signal #Proton #ProtonMail #Censorship

/End

Or, you can get guidance from the Electronic Frontier Foundation here (click on the Tools Guide, but avoid WhatsApp):
ssd.eff.org

But we cannot have that same level of confidence with Apple and Google. In fact, they have already surrendered to pressure.

I’ve published privacy application guides here:
mypersonalprivacy.net

If you use an Android phone, go to the Google Play store to get both of these applications.

The leadership at Signal and Proton are committed to privacy. I think we can be confident that they will not bend to pressure to remove the privacy protections in their apps.

We now know that these apps can disappear in a blink.

Download them today. Even if you don’t start using them right away, get them while you can. If you use an iPhone, go to the Apple store to download Signal and Proton Mail.

Most applications for messaging do not adequately protect your privacy. Signal and Proton Mail are the exceptions. They implement a privacy-first architecture and cannot share the content of your messages with others. This makes them a target of repressive regimes.

The recent decision by Apple and Google to remove the ICEBlock application from their app stores is a good example of how this control plays out.

Our mobile phones are the main platform that we use to send and receive text and email messages.

Cory Doctorow gets it – Time to download privacy apps now

The Dictator/Fascist/Authoritarian playbook is well understood. Surveillance is a key part of the effort to dominate and punish individuals who engage in legal dissent or opposition.

In addition to the AI guide, you will find guides to privacy-first email, messaging, VPN, browsing and search applications.

Stay Safe

#Privacy #Security #ProtonLumo #DuckDuckGo