How secure are messaging services like Facebook Chat, Google Hangouts and Skype? A new score card lets you measure them all up against each other, and find out where your data is safest.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s (EFF) score card examines a wide range of messaging services according to seven security factors, including levels of encryption, and whether past communications remain secure if your keys are stolen.
According to EFF’s study, the best commonly-used services are iMessage and FaceTime. The best overall are more obscure services like RedPhone, which has also previously gotten a shout-out from Edward Snowden.
One of the worst-scoring services was Yahoo Messenger.
Facebook, WhatsApp, and Google—even the “off the record” chats—did slightly better, but don’t support the encryption that would protect against the app’s provider accessing, and potentially disclosing, user data.
Internet users have grown increasingly wary of companies like Google and Facebook, with a recent survey finding some people would rather the NSA access their online records than Google.
Edward Snowden has also fueled suspicion of online communications, calling Facebook a “dangerous service” and encouraging internet users to seek out better-encrypted alternatives.
Check out the full score card here.
