There is a myriad of applications available for instant messaging today. Instant messengers and online chat applications have been around since the early days of the internet. ICQ was introduced in 1996 by the Israeli company Mirabilis, and it still exists today. AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) started a year later in 1997. Its main usage period was in the 1990 and 2000 until it was phased out in 2017. MSN Messenger followed in 1999 – later rebranded to Windows Live Messenger, then was phased out in favor of Skype in 2013. In this article, I’m showing you TeleGuard: An anonymous messenger for many platforms. It allows you to stay private in the information age.
The early chat applications were transmitting messages and files to centralized servers in plain text. Since there was no alternative, this was the reality most people accepted. Even the more tech-savvy Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network was initially transmitting messages in clear text. Over time, client applications introduced features like Off-the-Record Messaging (OTR), and later servers started supporting secure connections over SSL/TLS.
Messenging Today: End-to-End Encrypted, Secure, Safe
Many instant messengers today allow a fairly strong encryption suit and end-to-end encryption. Part of the motivation fro this stems from public reports of data leaks, messenger database hacks (which were sometimes subsequently made publicly available afterwards), andgovernment surveillance fears. One other important factor is the general concern for data privacy. The desire for data security evolved with the amount of information we exchange via instant messengers.
With more platforms (mobile phones, desktops) supported, these messengers become ubiquitous in our lives. One particular instant messenger that focusses on data security and privacy is TeleGuard, made by the Swiss company Swisscow. TeleGuard is an anonymous messenger for many platforms. Like many modern instant messengers, it offers apps for desktop and mobile use: It is available for iOS, Android, Windows, mac OS, and Linux. The company offering the service (swisscow) acts under Swiss data protection laws (and all servers are located in Switzerland) and is independent from EU and US laws, though they claim to be GDPR-compliant to allow operation in the EU. It is easy to use, and allows for very private message exchange.
TeleGuard has all the features a modern-day messenger offers: Contact list, text/image/voice messages, audio and video calls. You get typing notifications and read receipts, and you can create group chats. The most important bit though is the signup process: You simply download it, choose a nickname and accept TeleGuard’s Terms and Conditions (not long, worth a read):
Getting Started with TeleGuard: The Basics
Once you’ve chosen a username (you can change it later), you’re ready to add contacts, send messages, or explore TeleGuard’s Channels view: A list of public channels where you can join groups of interest. Adding contacts is done via entering their TeleGuard ID (or scanning their QR code). You can find your own code on the top right after opening the burger menu (DBWFAH5ZB in this example):
For on-device privacy purposes, you can customize how push notifications are shown, whether TG should require a passcode when opened, or if you want to hide your online presence from others (aka “Invisible mode”). If you allow your kids to use the app, you can turn off public material like channels with a parental code. This is highly advisable if you allow minors to interact with publicly accessible material on anonymous instant messengers.
Once you’re happy with the settings, you can get messenging. TeleGuard claims that they keep none of your data and deletes it right after delivery to your client. The data in transit and temporary storage is highly encrypted (TG doesn’t know what you’re sending or receiving).
Tangibility and Privacy
You account is never associated with a phone number – a practice common for many widespread messengers. If you really want more tangibility in your TeleGuard identity, you can you a unique TeleGuard ID: A unique, human readable handle that ties to your ID. You choose your ID, and if it is still available you can purchase it for €5.99:
Once purchased, this ID belongs to your account. Mind though that if you lose access to your account, you can’t recover it.
Backing Up TeleGuard and Changing Messenger Devices
Sometimes we buy new phones, switch desktops or accounts, or simply need to reinstall. While you cannot recreate your account from TeleGuard’s servers (they simply can’t access your account data), you can create a (secure) backup from an existing installation. Go to “Settings“, “Backup“, and choose “Create backup“. This brings you to this screen:
Here you see for which ID you create the backup and can set a password and an expiration period. Follow the on-screen instructions and store your backup in a safe place. Remember to delete it after you recovered your account from the backup to not compromise your privacy – or store it as long-term backup in a secured environment.
TeleGuard, an anonymous messenger for many platforms, is fast, easy to use, and offers all features modern messengers have in store. If you’re privacy-minded and are looking for a new messenger app, give TG a try! In case you want to explore this privately too, be sure to take a look at DuckDuckGo’s new browser app! If you have thoughts on private messenging, encryption and alike, comment below to get the conversation started!