WhatsApp is no longer what it used to be

Do you remember the days when WhatsApp was just a messenger? Send messages, create groups, done. No tracking, no AI, no "blue circle" that suddenly appears in the app and looks curiously at your data. Those days are over. With the integration of its AI assistant, Meta - the parent company of WhatsApp - has finally proven where the journey is heading: more surveillance, more data collection, more control.

The good news is that there are alternatives. And ones that get by without advertising, artificial intelligence and data hunger. Here are three messengers that make it clear: privacy is not an outdated idea - it's a fundamental right.

Signal: Edward Snowden's favorite

When it comes to data protection, Signal leads the field. No tracking, no advertising, no linking of your contacts with advertising profiles. Edward Snowden himself uses the app - there is hardly a clearer statement for security.

Why Signal is convincing:

• End-to-end encryption for everything - messages, calls, groups
• The source code is public - anyone can check what the app does
• No metadata storage - Signal simply knows nothing about you
• No advertising, no AI, no data transfer - financed by donations

If you can use WhatsApp, you'll find your way around Signal straight away. The only compromise: a phone number is required for registration. But here too, it is not linked or saved.

Threema: Swiss precision without a phone number

Threema goes one step further. You don't even need a phone number to use the messenger. Instead, you get a randomly generated ID - and that's it. Communicate completely anonymously if you wish.

The highlights of Threema:

• No telephone number, no e-mail - absolute anonymity
• Server in Switzerland, where data protection is not just a word
• No metadata - the app stores nothing about your behavior
• Pay once (approx. 5 euros) - no subscription, no advertising, no tracking

Threema is ideal for anyone who is serious about digital self-determination. The only catch: Many of your contacts first have to be convinced to join. But once that's done, there's no reason to look back.

Telegram: The all-purpose weapon with a security gap

Telegram is a kind of chameleon. Huge user base, lots of functions, huge groups, easy to use - but unfortunately not quite on a par with Signal or Threema when it comes to data protection.

What Telegram can do:

• Optional end-to-end encryption in so-called "secret chats"
• Automatic deletion of messages possible
• Synchronized across platforms - ideal for frequent users
• Huge community - many of your contacts are probably already there

But beware: normal chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default. If you want maximum security, you have to actively take care of it.

The blue AI circle is not harmless - it is a warning signal

What many underestimate: The integration of AI in messaging apps is not just a new feature. It is a fundamental change - away from private communication and towards monitored communication. Meta is not interested in your emojis - but in your data, your habits, your contacts.

Privacy is not a luxury, but a right. If you don't want to become dependent on the meta-ecosystem out of convenience, now is your chance to make the switch. And the best thing is that switching is now easier than ever.