Messaging Apps and Privacy: Why UniMe is a Better Alternative

Privacy is a hot topic these days, with the public becoming increasingly aware of just how much data most messaging apps collect about their users. Facebook has been an important part of this conversation, with the company losing its reputation as a wholesome, family-friendly place as they became aware of the extent to which the company was spying on them.

That’s why privacy-conscious people should consider ditching their current messaging app for an end-to-end encrypted alternative from a trustworthy company. End-to-end is an increasingly popular concept in the tech world, but usually it’s just discussed as the backbone of back-end servers. However, Ete can also be used in other industries and applications, most notably messaging.

Ete-powered chat apps like UniMe don’t collect user data. Instead, they use it to create a key that encrypts the messages sent between users. This means the messages are only available to those who have the key. That this key is generated by unique self deleting and regenerating algorithms meaning that it’s virtually impossible for anyone to know who created what key or when they were created. This means that even if a government agency were to force the company behind the app to hand over all its data, they wouldn’t be able to decipher any of the messages themselves.

This obviously means that there’s no way for anyone to collect information about users’ habits and preferences (which is what most apps do). The result is a more private and secure chat experience for those who want it — which is exactly what privacy-conscious people crave in this day and age.

Why Collecting User Data is Wrong

We’ve come a long way from the days of in-person communication, with the majority of our interactions taking place through digital screens. The messages we send and receive are stored in the digital ether, and who has access to them is a cause of concern for many.

The user data collected by the most popular messaging apps is astounding. According to the Wall Street Journal, companies such as Facebook, Google, and Apple collect data on who we talk to, where we go, what we buy, and more. The information collected is then used to serve up targeted ads to these users.

This data collection is unethical for a number of reasons. For one, it violates the privacy of the individual. Another issue is that it’s unclear to what extent companies are willing to go in order to collect data on users. It also makes it difficult for users on these apps to keep their information private.

With all the perks that come with messaging apps such as the ease of use and cost-savings, it’s unfair that the app developers don’t take more responsibility over how they collect data on the users who spend hours each day on their platforms. We deserve better!

Privacy Concerns of Traditional Messaging Apps

Whether an app is sending this information back to its creators or is using the data for other purposes, this data collection is unethical. The ethical implications of these apps can be better understood by examining the five most significant consequences of this data collection: privacy violation, advertiser targeting, information leaks, app experience, and technology development.

App developers collect user data in order to slice and dice it into a detailed profile of that person. This process includes collecting sensitive information such as home address or social security number. In some cases, an app may even collect your location data or contact list. This type of collection violates a person’s privacy. Furthermore, this process violates the expectations of many users who assumed that they would not have to reveal personal information in order to use an app.

Unethical Targeting

Data collected from these apps is used by advertisers to serve targeted ads. This process was made possible by the introduction of third-party ad networks. These networks are able to leverage this data collection in order to serve ads based on a person’s profile. A person may find themselves seeing ads for new clothes when they had not expressed any interest in fashion on their social media profiles.

Information Leaks

The way that these apps collect data could lead to information leaks. For example, if an app collects a user’s home address, then that address may have been entered into the app without any encryption or security measures in place. This could lead to identity theft or other serious consequences for the user’s safety. Furthermore, it is possible that an app developer may sell or share this data without first anonymizing it or removing sensitive data like social security numbers and home addresses from their records.

Poor User Experience

The user experience on these apps could be improved by limiting data collection. By limiting what information is collected about a device’s owner and their contacts, it would be easier for people to trust these apps with their sensitive data. App developers would also be less likely to violate their users’ privacy through data collection if there was a limit on what was collected about them.

Ultimately, UniMe is the solution to each of these concerns. No longer do Internet users have to rely on old-school chat apps that collect their data, invade their privacy, and recklessly abuse their trust. With UniMe, your data and your messages belong to you, enabling unparalleled data privacy and security.

Download UniME world for IOS device.

Download UniMe world for Android device.