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Leaks, breakdowns and a new name: It was a turbulent year for the Facebook group Meta. This also applies to its messenger service Whatsapp: Questionable adjustments to the terms of use and a few failures prompted many to look for an alternative messenger.
Telegram, Signal or the Swiss app Threema: all of these messenger apps increased their number of users significantly this year. Teleguard has also wanted to be involved in this field since the beginning of 2021. The app belongs to Swisscows, a technology company from Egnach in the Appenzellerland. The company has been running a search engine of the same name for eight years. According to Andreas Wiebe, founder and managing director of Swisscows, people are still primarily financed through donations.
Switzerland is absolutely the best place when it comes to data protection.
With Teleguard you want to stand out from WhatsApp with the highest security standards, says Wiebe: “We operate all servers ourselves, in Switzerland. And Switzerland is absolutely the best place when it comes to data protection. ” In addition, all messages are encrypted (end to end) and deleted as soon as they have reached the recipient.
There is no such thing as a cloud. The aim is to offer a secure, data-saving alternative to Google, Facebook and Co. with both the search engine and the messenger app. The website is promoting the latest product as the “most private app in the world”.
Awareness of protection is growing
Kenneth Paterson, professor at the Institute for Information Security at ETH Zurich, says it is actually a good time to launch a new messenger on the market – especially when the message “Security and privacy” is: “When using for example Facebook or WhatsApp, people are becoming more and more aware of the aspects of privacy, ”says Paterson.
Independent experts can only check whether the app is really safe if the source code is disclosed.
But it is not enough to have all servers in Switzerland. Good software and encryption are more important. In addition, according to Paterson, it is crucial whether a messenger app operator discloses its source code: “This is the only way independent experts can check whether the app is really secure.” The new provider Teleguard has announced this step for next year. At the moment, the focus is on the further structure and stability of the app.
A study of media usage in Switzerland shows that the market for messenger apps has definitely moved: between 2020 and 2021, for example, Telegram and Threema doubled their number of users. However, it is noticeable that Whatsapp lost practically no users in the same time.
Most of them do not manage to leave Whatsapp after all – because, for example, their grandmother or father is still on Whatsapp.
Katja Rost, sociologist at the University of Zurich, says that different platforms are now simply being used at the same time. While some are trying to quit WhatsApp, “the vast majority of them don’t make it after all – because, for example, their grandmother or father is still on Whatsapp.” Another obstacle were groups from the football club or school, which would still take place on Whatsapp.
So-called network effects would make it difficult for alternative providers: Because WhatsApp was there first, people are already very well connected via this platform. And: “What should I do on a secure messenger app when all my friends and acquaintances are not there?” Says Rost.
Competition with known services
Newcomers like Teleguard will initially compete with Threema and Co. for user numbers – maybe at some point to replace WhatsApp. But that still needs many users who consistently turn their backs on WhatsApp – and thus force their friends and acquaintances to also become active on other platforms.
«People are only now realizing that they are being monitored. Therefore, from my point of view, it is exactly the right time to start with our app ”, says Andreas Wiebe. After all: the limit of one million users was cracked within a few months.