Threema
This Swiss-made, privacy-focused text and video call app is open-sourced, based on privacy by design principles and saw it’s downloads take off earlier in 2021 when WhatsApp announced controversial change to their privacy policies. Threema touts it’s $2.99 app as a service that can be used completely anonymously (which, yay!, but we always caution about things being completely anonymous, it’s really hard to make anything completely anonymous). Threema is one of the best privacy-focused messaging apps we have seen, with its end-to-end encryption, no phone number required to sign up, and its commitment to not collect user data. Yay for privacy-focused apps!
What could happen if something goes wrong?
You love to see a privacy focused app like Threema where the answer to the question, “What could happen if something goes wrong?” is truly, “Likely, not much.” End-to-end encryption. Check. No need to sign up with anything that could be linked to you like a phone number or email address. Check. Does not collect user data. Does not target ads in any way. Check and check! What little data does pass through the Swiss-based servers is deleted very quickly. Check. No known security breaches. Check! Threema really does check all the privacy-focused boxes. They even opened up the source code for their artificial intelligence features like face detection. We absolutely love to see transparency when it comes to the use of AI! Good work Threema! We’d say Threema is well worth the $2.99 price (however, this shows once again that good privacy is rarely ever free).
Can it snoop on me?
Camera
Device: N/A
App: Yes
Microphone
Device: N/A
App: Yes
Tracks location
Device: N/A
App: No
What can be used to sign up?
No
Phone
No
Third-party account
No
Threema sets up an 8-digit Threema ID for all users
What data does the company collect?
Personal
No personal data is collected by default. Optional: phone number and email (encrypted).
Body related
Social
How does the company use this data?
How can you control your data?
What is the company’s known track record of protecting users’ data?
No known history of data breaches or leaks.
Can this product be used offline?
User-friendly privacy information?
A good example of a short and concise privacy policy, accompanied by detailed transparent papers on everything from encryption to FAQ addressing numerous possible concerns.
Links to privacy information
Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards?
Encryption
Full end to end encryption of chats & calls, by default.
Strong password
Threema allows various security passwords, namely PIN codes to log in, passphrases and lock codes to protect chats.
Security updates
Automatic updates from the respective app store or with a built-in updater.
Manages vulnerabilities
Dedicated contacts for security issues are provided. On top of that, external security experts are commissioned to conduct security audits on a regular basis.
Privacy policy
Does the product use AI?
Some features such as face detection for photos are AI-based. Threema uses this AI facial recognition to find faces in images to blur them out for privacy. Good work Threema! And their AI code is open source. Anyone who is interested can look at the code.
Is this AI untrustworthy?
What kind of decisions does the AI make about you or for you?
Is the company transparent about how the AI works?
Does the user have control over the AI features?
Dive Deeper
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