Privacy Features of Popular Messengers In the world of secure messaging, not all apps are created equal. Let's take a look at the privacy features of SimpleX, Signal, Session, and Threema. 1 SimpleX - Fully decentralized with no central servers. - No phone number or email required. - Minimal metadata collected. - Strong anonymity with no user identifiers. - Users can run their own servers. - Focused on privacy. 2 Signal - Strong end-to-end encryption. - Requires a phone number (less anonymous). - Collects some metadata (e.g., contact discovery). - Centralized, with servers controlled by Signal Foundation. - Widely adopted, with a balance between privacy and usability. 3 Session - Decentralized and uses Onion routing (Tor) for added anonymity. - No phone number or email required. - Minimal metadata. - User IDs are public keys, providing strong anonymity. - Open-source community servers, users can run their own nodes. 4 Threema - End-to-end encryption, but partially open source. - No phone number required, can use an anonymous ID. - Some metadata is collected, but it's limited. - Centralized, with servers controlled by Threema GmbH. - Requires a one-time fee, but offers robust privacy features. Conclusion SimpleX for decentralization & privacy purists. Signal for strong encryption with a user-friendly experience. Session for anonymity-focused users. Threema for those wanting privacy with an anonymous ID system.