Proton mail free encrypted email

[BigCityCat]

Just an fyi. I used Lavabit till they shut it down. What do you all think of this?

https://support.protonmail.ch/

[sandyd]

Still waiting for them to setup an alternative for IMAP/POP3 so that I can have a non-web email client.

[night_sky2]

They have been in limited-user beta for like 2 years now. They have a long waiting list so it may take some time before receiving an invitation.

I hope they get the proper funding to expand their server capabilities.

[mihai.ile]

I am using it, comparing it to web gmail I am using daily it's still not that feature rich but seems promising.
At least there are some emails that google has no idea about what I am writing about :)

[Frogs Hair]

I have an account but it's not my default email yet. Encryption and the fact they don't ask for any user information sounded good. I was on the waiting list for two weeks before I could finish the setup. There is also two tier authentication one password login and one for the decrypting the mailbox.

[hunterkasy]

I like protonmail. still in beta so not all features are working

[ryu kun]

I like Protonmail. Oldschool encryption solutions (GPG/PGP) are not meaningful when other ends do not use it. In my case, nobody use them. Protonmail might be the cure for this old problem.

I have sent a few e-mails using it and I invited all my friends to Protonmail when they opened registration recently for 1 day.

However it is still not my default e-mail address as there is not an easy way to check e-mails via e-mail clients/apps.


At least there are some emails that google has no idea about what I am writing about :)

This is our little common consolation. :)

[night_sky2]

This is our little common consolation. http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif
Once you start sending non-encrypted emails to your Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo friends (which you'll probably end up doing anyway), the purpose is defeated.
Because the thing is, not everyone will jump through hoops just to allow ultra-private email users to remain 'hidden'.

[mihai.ile]

Once you start sending non-encrypted emails to your Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo friends (which you'll probably end up doing anyway), the purpose is defeated.
Because the thing is, not everyone will jump through hoops just to allow ultra-private email users to remain 'hidden'.

Yes of course, if you send emails to your yahoo,google,etc. friends.
If you think a little, usually it is not so important that google/etc. sees the emails you send to most of your contacts.
But I set up my bank account to use the protonmail address so things like bank statements, account numbers, documents I have to send to the bank all go through protonmail and I would say despite not having support of encryption it goes from protonmail->bank so no gmail/yahoo/etc. in the middle.
This is just one example where I can say I am happy I can use protonmail instead of my gmail account.
So usually when you deal with an institution you have to send and receive all kinds of documents, contract informations, receipts, and so on, this is where protonmail does help when I said:

At least there are some emails that google has no idea about what I am writing about

Other thing, some of my contacts really appreciate the idea of encrypted expiring emails because sometimes they just want to send me some more sensible stuff which they would want to be destroyed after several hours. Of course I can always download the stuff and save it but if they send me sensible stuff they do trust me at that moment about the information they are sharing so that is a no issue actually.

[night_sky2]

Yes of course, if you send emails to your yahoo,google,etc. friends.
If you think a little, usually it is not so important that google/etc. sees the emails you send to most of your contacts.
But I set up my bank account to use the protonmail address so things like bank statements, account numbers, documents I have to send to the bank all go through protonmail and I would say despite not having support of encryption it goes from protonmail->bank so no gmail/yahoo/etc. in the middle.
This is just one example where I can say I am happy I can use protonmail instead of my gmail account.
So usually when you deal with an institution you have to send and receive all kinds of documents, contract informations, receipts, and so on, this is where protonmail does help when I said:
I am not sure why there should be that much of a concern with Google's automated system of content analysis, unless one has shady businesses
to conceal in which case I probably wouldn't use an email at all. They don't do this because they are interested in how much money you have in your bank
account or something, but for malware detection and tailored advertising. And in the end, the compagny only shares aggregated data.

Anyway, I don't find the privacy hype of ProtonMail or Tutanota to be that much justified,
because as I said all non-encrypted inbound and outbound emails to google/ect. are no longer ''private'',
unless the system is used only between encrypted users. But then that could make you a target for the NSA, KGB ect.

[ryu kun]

Privacy should be available for everyone, any time, as default. Automated analysis is one of the tools of mass surveillance, which is a threat against vital human rights, i.e. free thinking, free speech, political freedom (activism, opposition etc).

Therefore, "You don't need it if you don't do anything immoral or illegal" approach is also dangerous, as it trivializes importance of privacy.

[Bucky Ball]

Protonmail is working for me so far as my junk account. I've started using that instead of my junk Gmail account so that will die a natural death, but a slow one. :)

[night_sky2]

Therefore, "You don't need it if you don't do anything immoral or illegal" approach is also dangerous, as it trivializes importance of privacy.
True privacy on the Internet is an illusion. You are in an open space like one big Central Park. Probably better not to use a computer in this case and go back to typing machines. Your data is out there, from your internet provider, browser and albeit your email are apparently encrypted in the Swiss mountains with ProtonMail, chances are the NSA is aware of them. They probably can and do see you. Why would they accept defeat by these mainstream post-Snowden services, when there may be some treasure troves hidden on these servers? Privacy is important but when you are out there on the streets, you're not alone and the possiblity of preying eyes is always there.