There are many smartphone communication applications: Messenger, WhatsApp, Skype, Snapchat, Telegram, etc. Not all of them are equal.

• Signal : to keep your communications safe, one of the best applications available today. Requires a phone number however
• Wire : also a very good application, less widespread than Signal. Wire has the advantage of not requiring a phone number.
• Element : a very good secure communication application that relies on the Matrix network. Like Wire, no phone number is needed to use it. A simple nickname is enough. Unfortunately, the number of users of the application to date is still marginal

• Messenger (Facebook) : very widespread, messages exchanged via Messenger are not secured by default. You have to use the secret conversation option in order to have an end-to-end encrypted conversation. This means that only you and the person you are talking to have the keys to decrypt the audio or text messages you exchange. These are encrypted on your smartphone and then decrypted on the smartphone of the person you are communicating with.“>end-to-end encrypted conversation</tooltip>
• Telegram: messages in this application are not encrypted by default. You have to activate the “New secret chat” option to encrypt messages. Moreover, unlike Skype, Messenger and Telegram, which use known encryption methods and therefore auditable, Telegram uses its own encryption system that only the firm knows. However, if you have no other choice, here are some tips that will help you increase the security of your communications with Telegram.
• WhatsApp: this application allows you to have end-to-end encrypted conversations by default. Beware though: metadata - who called when, how often and how long - is kept.

• Snapchat offers no way to encrypt messages. Worse, Snapchat’s ephemeral messages can be technically recovered by the firm