Given all these recent WikiLeaks email hacks (and not just the campaign hacks, but SONY, etc.), the Ashley Madison hack a year or so back, and the general insecurity of data on the Internet (you know what I mean), I'm wondering why the Hobbyist community hasn't adopted more secure platforms with which to communicate.  

For example, instead of traditional text messaging apps like Apple's iPhone Messages app, AOL Instant Messaging or Yahoo Messenger, maybe we should we be using things like:

* the Signal app
* WhatsApp
* the Viber app
* the Line app
* the KakaoTalk app
* the CyberDust app
* the ChatSecure app
* the Threema app

These all offer end-to-end encryption, making messaging considerably more secure. I know I'd feel a lot better if I arranged the details of a session using end-to-end encrypted data.

Just one of those random Friday thoughts ...

Good topic. I love WhatsApp but it still uses a phone number which can be traced.  

Try CoverMe - I love it!

Have very hard time to accommodate clients requests use one or other  
Every gentleman prefers own ways ... And asking to download one or other refusing text if woman do not have his type of software  
Is it mess art for  woman have those on the phone yo match his  
If it is a loyal returning man then yes  
I used cyber dust once but how to accommodate needs of few gentlemen on that subject  
Please may some one explain if those apps are functioning with other apps?

Bumping this thread because security and discretion could not be more important.

I've heard very good things about the Signal app.

I'm under no illusion that this thread will cause anything to happen. However, I do hope that those with true influence in the industry should try to encourage folks to seriously consider migrating to encrypted communications.

Sooner, rather than later.

Buying a burner phone with cash and top-off minutes with cash?

Cover Me is great, when it works.  I've had a couple of issues.  Once I tried to renew my number, but it failed, so I lost my number and my history, then it refused to let renew thereafter because it insisted I had already paid - even though it didn't charge me, so I was stuck not being able to update it; this got fixed after all the iOS upgrades, etc.  

And recently, I discovered it only calls the US, Canada and China . . . so I could not use it in England, where I badly needed it.

Cover Me has some cool other features as well: dummy passwords, alerts that someone is entering wrong passwords, fake news feeds, etc.  It is a really well thought out app.

I also occasionally use a dummy Google Voice/Hangouts profile for US and Canada.  But you do have to add and delete the account each time you want to use it, to remain under the radar.