> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.womensprivacyproject.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Quit SMS Text Messages - URL: https://www.womensprivacyproject.org/quit-sms-text-messages/ - Published: 2022-08-01T15:12:20.000Z - Updated: 2022-08-01T15:12:20.000Z - Description: Americans love to text, but it's the least secure form of digital messaging.. it's time to move on. - Author: KL - Tags: Newsletter, #kl-2, #Migrated-1771431375457, #Import 2026-02-18 16:17 **Good morning, friends!** We’ve got a good one today with 684 words and about 4 minutes to read. Let’s get to it! ### What am I suggesting and why? Switch to a private, encrypted, open source messaging service [Signal](https://signal.org/en/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org), and bring all your friends with you. **Regular ol’ SMS text messages just aren’t secure.** They’re easily intercepted (honestly, just run a search for ‘[text message interception](https://duckduckgo.com/?q=text+message+interception&t=h%5F&ia=web&ref=womensprivacyproject.org)’ and you will find dozens of how-to articles), and they’re [easily spoofed](https://www.jooksms.com/blog/what-is-sms-spoofing-what-are-the-ways-to-prevent-it/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) (meaning someone could pretend to be you or someone you know). Using a service with end-to-end encryption means that only the sender and receiver are able to decrypt the message (basically, if someone tries to intercept your message, they would just see a garbled mess of letters and numbers). **Duration:** 10 Minutes **Ease:** Very easy to set up, but maybe forward this to your friends if they’re not easily convinced to leave SMS behind. **Cost:** Free --- ### You in? Let’s go: Signal is available for Android and iOS as well as on your computer. 1. [Download Signal](https://signal.org/install?ref=womensprivacyproject.org). 2. Follow the instructions to sign up. You can choose to share your contacts or not, but it does make it easier to determine who already uses Signal if you do. 3. Invite your friends, seriously. --- ### Dig Deeper I know that ditching text messaging is not a small ask, and I’m not suggesting you need to do it all at once. It’s a good one to tackle over time, and eventually move away from entirely. #### Why Signal? Signal tops [nearly](https://www.tomsguide.com/reference/best-encrypted-messaging-apps?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) [every](https://www.androidauthority.com/best-private-messenger-apps-android-874436/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) [list](https://fossbytes.com/best-secure-encrypted-messaging-apps/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) of [private](https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/messaging-app-security?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) [messaging](https://www.bestapp.com/best-secure-messaging-apps/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) [apps](https://www.mobileappdaily.com/best-apps-for-secret-texting?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) and is used by [privacy experts](https://www.privacy-ticker.com/tag/edward-snowden/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org), [journalists](https://www.washingtonpost.com/anonymous-news-tips/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org), [protesters](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/style/signal-messaging-app-encryption-protests.html?ref=womensprivacyproject.org), and public figures worldwide. It’s funded by donations and grants, it’s open source (meaning the code that runs it can be reviewed by anyone), and their encryption service is so good, it’s actually the standard adopted by other encrypted messaging services including WhatsApp. It also has additional privacy measures like Disappearing Messages, which is essentially the Inspector Gadget ‘[this message will self destruct](https://youtu.be/MPHyfZoSKM4?t=50&ref=womensprivacyproject.org)’ for the modern age, it disables screenshots (you can’t take a screenshot of any messages in the app), and it also has encrypted voice and video calling. Most importantly, they **do not** store metadata, so [there is nothing to share if a warrant is served](https://signal.org/bigbrother/santaclara/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org). #### Are there alternatives? Of course, but let’s talk about a few of them. #### First, the Meta Messengers… **WhatsApp** is an end-to-end encrypted messaging service and on the surface shares many of the same features as Signal including Disappearing Messages (but notably *excluding* disabling screenshots), and even **Facebook Messenger** and **Instagram Messenger** have end-to-end encryption as an **option**, which when enabled opens up additional features like Disappearing/Vanishing Messages. BUT, and this is a BIG BUT—**all of these services are owned by Meta (formerly Facebook)**, and Meta is in the business of data collection. They not only [collect ample metadata](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2021/01/16/stop-using-facebook-messenger-after-whatsapp-vs-apple-imessage-and-signal-privacy-backlash/?sh=2f2e04444650&ref=womensprivacyproject.org) about your conversations, but will also happily share what they collect with any government agency that asks while [using it themselves to sell targeted ads](https://signal.org/blog/the-instagram-ads-you-will-never-see/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org). #### What about Apple iMessages and Android Messages? In both cases, if everyone in the message is using the same standard (e.g. all users are on iMessage), then the messages are encrypted end-to-end. However, if one person isn’t using the same standard—like that one person with green chat bubbles in your iMessage app (note: it’s me, I’m that one)—then you’re switched back to SMS and those messages aren’t encrypted anymore. Both Apple and Google will also be collecting huge amounts of [metadata](https://securityaffairs.co/wordpress/51754/digital-id/imessage-logs.html?ref=womensprivacyproject.org) from these services, which we’ve already covered above. Lastly, for iOS at least, there’s the issue of backups. If you use iCloud to backup your iMessages ([iCloud backups are unencrypted](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-fbi-icloud-exclusive/exclusive-apple-dropped-plan-for-encrypting-backups-after-fbi-complained-sources-idUSKBN1ZK1CT?ref=womensprivacyproject.org)), then those previously encrypted messages are still wide open to search and seizure. To Google’s credit, [Android’s backups actually ](https://www.androidcentral.com/how-googles-backup-encryption-works-good-bad-and-ugly?ref=womensprivacyproject.org)[*are*](https://www.androidcentral.com/how-googles-backup-encryption-works-good-bad-and-ugly?ref=womensprivacyproject.org)[ encrypted end-to-end](https://www.androidcentral.com/how-googles-backup-encryption-works-good-bad-and-ugly?ref=womensprivacyproject.org), so there’s that? #### Learn More I sprinkled links all throughout that I recommend checking out to dig deeper, so I won’t list them all here, but here are a couple extras that are worth a look: - “Why You Should Stop Using Facebook Messenger After Privacy Backlash” [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2021/01/16/stop-using-facebook-messenger-after-whatsapp-vs-apple-imessage-and-signal-privacy-backlash/?sh=2f2e04444650&ref=womensprivacyproject.org) - “Why SMS Text Messages Aren’t Private or Secure” [How-to-Geek](https://www.howtogeek.com/709373/why-sms-text-messages-arent-private-or-secure/?ref=womensprivacyproject.org)