As mobile messaging applications continue to be popular today, there are also some things that users need to know about these applications’ encryption features, data privacy guidelines, and safe usage.
How private and transparent is your mobile chat application?
End-to-end encryption is held as the gold standard in data privacy. This feature enables encryption of chat messages as it sends and decryption when it reaches the receiver. Mobile applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram are some that utilize this feature. These applications also have mobile call monitoring options such as WhatsApp call recording.
The information stored by mobile messaging applications about their users.
Terms of use are usually ignored by some users when installing a chat application. However, it helps to check this because it provides details about what information the application collects.
Best practices to follow while using a mobile messaging application
When it comes to using mobile messaging applications for online communication, there are some best practices that you can do to reduce risks.
- Lock your phone through a password or a biometric.
- Use mobile messaging applications that can encrypt conversations.
- Avoid large groups where you don’t know any people. If you added to these groups without your consent, leave as soon as you can.
- Avoid using chat applications where the service operator can access your contacts.
For more details about encryption, data privacy, and safe usage, here is an infographic by TeleMessage.