Apps We Use
We use a variety of methods to communicate more securely. The key for your house is not likely the same key as your house, because they don't use the same lock. It is the same for communication.
We use the following generally free methods of communication:
A) Email (Email Protocol) - We use primarily GPG/PGP encryption for this.
1) Thunderbird on computers - it has GPG/PGP capabilities built-in. Uses your own existing email address/provider (eg. gmail, yahoo, gmx, etc)..
2) K9 Mail + OpenKeyChain on Android (f-droid/gplay) - OpenKeyChain (f-droid/gplay) adds GPG/PGP capability to K9 Mail. Uses your own existing email address/provider (eg. gmail,yahoo,gmx,etc).
3) Mailvelope - is a browser addon (Chrome/Chromium/Firefox/Edge) that does GPG encryption within your browser when using a webmail provider. Most email providers (eg gmail,yahoo,gmx,etc) have webmail access via your web browser. Mailvelope will help you make a key pair (private and public), import ours(public) (to send encrypted mail to us), and to decrypt messages that are replied to you- very easy.
4) Protonmail on Android(gplay)/iOS/browser - It is also fully compatible with GPG/PGP. Comes with a @protonmail.com email address for free, and includes a free VPN account as well.
5) Tutanota Mail on Android(f-droid/gplay)/iOS/Windows/Linux/Mac/browser - It is very easy to use and quite secure. Comes with a @tutanotamail.com email address for free. We very much like this one.
B) Phone Call Apps / Chat apps - We use the ones that encrypt:
1) Wire - Android (f-droid/gplay)/iOS/Windows/Mac/browser - sign-up only on a browser (using email,not phn#), then use app - Audio/Video calls, chat, send pictures & files. This one also works on computers via your browser.
2) Twinme - Android (gplay)/iOS - Audio/Video calls, chat, send pictures & files
3) Telegram - Android (f-droid/gplay)/iOS/Windows/Mac/Don't use Linux version! - A/V calls, chat, send pics & files (but we will be discontinuing using this app later in the future). Using a username (instead of phone number) is optional but highly recommended. Try to avoid apps that use your phone number or SMS to verify you.
4) Element (Matrix protocol) Android (f-droid/gplay)/iOS/Windows/Mac/Linux/browser - A/V calls, chat, send pics & files. *Only use if you are more technically savvy user.
5) Conversations (XMPP Protocol) - Android only (f-droid free / gplay costs $4). A/V calls, voice messages, chat, send pics & files. *For more savvy users. Federated (not dependant on a single server/service). Here are instructions (install, setup).
6) Monal (XMPP Protocol) - iOS only. Voice messages, chat, send pics & files.
7) Siskin (XMPP Protocol) - iOS only. A/V calls, Voice messages, chat, send pics & files.
8) Anonymous Messenger (runs itself over TOR) - Android (f-droid/gplay) only - A/V calls, Voice messages, chat, send pics & files. This app is quite good except that it does not seem to notify of new messages unless you login to it, but otherwise good.
C) SMS/MMS (Phone text messaging- uses phone SMS instead of internet) - We don't often text over SMS, but when we do, we use this:
1) Silence (org.smssecure.smssecure) - Android (f-droid) only - Sends encrypted text and files over SMS using constantly changing keys (OMEMO encryption). This app hasn't been updated for a couple of years but it still works well. SMS/MMS is not as desireable because it is attached to your phone number.
*Because all these apps are 'communication' apps, you really need to disable "battery optimisation" or "sleep" mode (or whatever it is called on your phone) for these, else you won't know someone has tried to contact you because your phone has shut-down the app. Phones do this to help with battery usage, but most of these apps listed here are excellent at not causing a large battery drain.
Apps we do not use:
1) Nearly all Google products/services - such as gmail, google search, google assistant (the talking lady), google maps, google voice, google meet, google duo, google drive, google chat, hangouts, google family link.
2) Facebook/Meta products - such as facebook, whatsapp, facebook messenger. Likely no facebook/meta product is safe to use.
3) Social media sites - such as facebook, twitter, instagram, gettr, gab, mewe, mastadon (even though it is based on Matrix), etc. We feel that there are quite negative side-effects to using social media styled communication- it is less personal, very surface/shallow, forces sound-bite types communication that causes an impatience with normal communication (like ADHD), and other as-of-yet unknown bad effects. The Lord warned us years ago not to use facebook, so we never have, and now over 13 years later we are seeing why, more and more clearly.
4) Apple products/services.
5) Most Microsoft products/services
6) Miscellaneous: Signal, Threema, Wickr, Viber, Silent Phone.
7) We tend to avoid apps that rely on any cryptocurrencies or blockchain, at this time.
