Disclaimer:
Privacy: Just the sender and the recipient knows the content of the messages.
Anonymity: Protecting the identity of the sender.
I've been using computers for a while and the best way to make sure the recipient were the only person to read the content of your message was using PGP. For the average user it was difficult and cumbersome.
These days there's plenty of "secure" apps; WhatsApp, Telegram, Threema, Wickr, Wire, *Skype among others but the best is Signal. Why Signal? Because the app and their encryption is open source (you don't have to trust the company behind it), all messages are encrypted end-to-end (you don't have to create specifically-private chats like some apps), they don't mine (and possibly share) your data like WhatsApp, it doesn't store your chats "in the cloud"...
What if Signal receives a subpoena to reveal information about the user? Signal collect as little information as possible and in that case, it'll only show when the account was created and the last time the user was online:
https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/signal-s...gag-order/
Signal gives you privacy. Only the recipient will be able to read the messages.
The big problem is anonymity. In other apps you have an username instead of your private number. With that information they can subpoena the ISP and gather more information about you knowing you visit Apple/Google/Facebook/etc and asking those companies to reveal information about you.
How to protect about that? Simple; get a cheap burner phone JUST TO RECEIVE THE REGISTRATION SMS. The phone shouldn't be connected to you in any way. Do it in a populated area (not near your house!). Then you go to Signal settings and enable REGISTRATION LOCK to avoid somebody else registering that number in the future.
Then you can give that number to anyone without having to worry about them finding or doxxing you.
To explain in a simpler way. Install Signal in your personal smartphone. Register using the burner's phone number and then get rid of it. Throw it in a lake or destroy it.
Just using a different SIM card in your personal smartphone is not safe since the IMEI will be broadcasted and the ISP will know you're using the same device.
If you have any doubt, let me know.
Privacy: Just the sender and the recipient knows the content of the messages.
Anonymity: Protecting the identity of the sender.
I've been using computers for a while and the best way to make sure the recipient were the only person to read the content of your message was using PGP. For the average user it was difficult and cumbersome.
These days there's plenty of "secure" apps; WhatsApp, Telegram, Threema, Wickr, Wire, *Skype among others but the best is Signal. Why Signal? Because the app and their encryption is open source (you don't have to trust the company behind it), all messages are encrypted end-to-end (you don't have to create specifically-private chats like some apps), they don't mine (and possibly share) your data like WhatsApp, it doesn't store your chats "in the cloud"...
What if Signal receives a subpoena to reveal information about the user? Signal collect as little information as possible and in that case, it'll only show when the account was created and the last time the user was online:
https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/signal-s...gag-order/
Signal gives you privacy. Only the recipient will be able to read the messages.
The big problem is anonymity. In other apps you have an username instead of your private number. With that information they can subpoena the ISP and gather more information about you knowing you visit Apple/Google/Facebook/etc and asking those companies to reveal information about you.
How to protect about that? Simple; get a cheap burner phone JUST TO RECEIVE THE REGISTRATION SMS. The phone shouldn't be connected to you in any way. Do it in a populated area (not near your house!). Then you go to Signal settings and enable REGISTRATION LOCK to avoid somebody else registering that number in the future.
Then you can give that number to anyone without having to worry about them finding or doxxing you.
To explain in a simpler way. Install Signal in your personal smartphone. Register using the burner's phone number and then get rid of it. Throw it in a lake or destroy it.
Just using a different SIM card in your personal smartphone is not safe since the IMEI will be broadcasted and the ISP will know you're using the same device.
If you have any doubt, let me know.