Communication Platforms / RTC

The below selection is our suggestion for web browsers with privacy, security and anonymity kept in mind. Each has it’s own use case and best practices. Review below to decide which is best for your activities.

Signal

Signal is a cross-platform centralized encrypted instant messaging service. Users can send one-to-one and group messages, which can include files, voice notes, images and videos. It can also be used to make one-to-one and group voice and video calls, and the Android version can optionally function as an SMS app.

Signal uses standard cellular telephone numbers as identifiers and secures all communications to other Signal users with end-to-end encryption. The client software includes mechanisms by which users can independently verify the identity of their contacts and the integrity of the data channel.

https://signal.org/bigbrother/ canary not necessary

Element

A modern alternative to IRC or Discord. Good for team chats and groups.

Briar

Briar is an open-source software communication technology, intended to provide secure and resilient peer-to-peer communications with no centralized servers and minimal reliance on external infrastructure. Connections are made through Bluetooth, WiFi, or over the internet via Tor and all private communication is end-to-end encrypted. Relevant content is stored in encrypted form on participating devices.

Session

Session is an encrypted instant messenger that routes messages anonymously on the Oxen Network by utilizing three random service nodes.

Status

Signing up does not necessitate the use of a phone number or an email address. Waku, a peer-to-peer (p2p) communications system that eliminates centralized third parties from messages, is used.

Cwtch

End-to-end encryption and use of Tor v3 onion services. Designed to be metadata resistant.

Tox

Wide range of features but a highly experimental protocol, use with caution.

Delta Chat

Delta Chat is a new chat app that sends messages via e-mails, encrypted if possible, with Autocrypt. You do not have to sign up anywhere, just use your existing e-mail account with Delta Chat.

Jami

Jami (formerly GNU Ring, SFLphone) is a SIP-compatible distributed peer-to-peer softphone and SIP-based instant messenger.

Two account types are currently available, and many of each type can be configured concurrently. Both types offer similar features including messaging, video and audio. The account types are SIP and Ring. A SIP account enables the Jami softphone to connect to a standard SIP server and a Ring account can register (or use an account set up) on the decentralised Jami network which requires no central server. By default, Jami uses a OpenDHT node maintained by Savoir-faire Linux to join the network when the user connects for the first time. However, the application gives users the choice to run this through their own bootstrap server in the advanced settings.

Mumble

Mumble is an open source, low latency, high quality voice chat application.

AVOID:

If you use a common communication service you are putting your complete trust in the service provider not to spy at your communications. Consider lowering your need to trust public services by choosing one of the alternatives which leverage end-to-end encryption (E2EE).