What’s wrong with Gmail and Yahoo, then? Well, nothing. And there is always Google Workspace, the paid-for Gmail version where you can use a domain that you own.
Actually, there was that issue of Google reading emails, wasn’t there. And then Google stopped doing it. But somehow, people started to believe that the ‘don’t be evil’ phrase stopped ringing true.
And then there are the projects that Google started and then just ended, as it has a right to do.
When all is said and done, it would be nice if my email could be kept where I can look at the emails and the email host can’t.
Peeking into my emails is a bit like the TV sketch I was trying to tell someone about. I was looking for the Peter Kay sketch that’s in an episode of Phoenix Nights. He plays a man in a wheelchair and in this episode he is bragging about his new stairlift. That night he gets stuck on his stairlift halfway up the stairs when there’s a power cut.
I couldn’t remember Peter Kay’s name so I googled something like ‘comedian stuck on stairlift’.
And for weeks afterwards Google was showing me advertisements for Stannah stairlifts. But I didn’t tell Google to use my enquiry to keep giving me information. Whichever way you look at it, Google must have been listening and acting on what it knew.
If it is true for Google Search then it is all the more true for email.
I want a service where no one can read the email other than the intended recipient. I want it end-to-end encrypted. I want a service where if I email someone not using that service, then the message decrypts at the far end only.
So, for the Googles and the Yahoos, I want out, but it seems I don’t want out enough to actually leave.
But maybe the times are changing.
In the same way that Google search is suddenly facing starvation (or hard times) against the rise of ChatGPT, so companies have been bringing new technologies to mail.
The first thing that I think is important to know, is what the source of the information is upon which I intend to rely?
And how is one to know? Well, one could ask ChatGPT. So I did.
ChatGPT, who are the frontrunners in end-to-end encrypted email?
There are several email providers that offer end-to-end encrypted email as a feature. Here are some of the most popular ones:
- ProtonMail: ProtonMail is a secure email service that uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data. It is based in Switzerland and has a strong reputation for privacy and security.
- Tutanota: Tutanota is another popular encrypted email service that uses end-to-end encryption. It is based in Germany and offers a range of privacy-focused features.
- Posteo: Posteo is a German email provider that uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data. It also offers a range of privacy-focused features, such as anonymous sign-up and no tracking.
- Mailfence: Mailfence is a Belgian email provider that uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data. It also offers a range of privacy-focused features, such as two-factor authentication and encrypted contacts.
- Hushmail: Hushmail is a Canadian email provider that uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data. It has been around since the late 1990s and has a strong reputation for security.
It’s worth noting that while these providers offer end-to-end encryption, there are still limitations to the level of security they can provide. For example, if you are emailing someone who is not using an encrypted email service, your messages may not be fully protected. Additionally, metadata such as email addresses and subject lines may not be encrypted.
Any Other Authorities?
Yes, or at least I think so. There’s an article in ReviewPrivacy: The 10 Best Private and Secure Email Services for 2023
The list is
- Mailfence (mentioned by ChatgPT at number 4 in its list)
- Tutanota (mentioned by ChatgPT at number 2 in its list)
- ProtonMail (mentioned by ChatgPT at number 1 in its list)
- Mailbox.org
- Posteo (mentioned by ChatgPT at number 3 in its list)
- Runbox
- CounterMail
- Kolab Now
- StartMail
- Soverin
The author, Sven Taylor, discusses the pros and cons of each service, and he likes Mailfence – for its jurisdiction (Belgium) and for its features.
I looked at Skiff that offered end-to-end encrypted email, calendar, documents, and files. Heinrich Long on ReviewPrivacy reviewed Skiff Mail in February this year and likes it. His one caveat was whether it would be here in the medium or longer term.
And his concern proved to be valid because Skiff sold itself to Notion and ended its service. They thanked customers, making a big deal out of the ‘five years of service’ they had provided. That made me barf. On the plus side it kept running for six months after the announcement to allow users time to move their email service to another provider. But it made me and a lot of people unhappy.
In other words, you have to ask whether a service is going to be around, when you find a service.
And then there is a completely different approach taken by Migadu. It is a domain-based service. You get your domain from your domain registry and set the MX etc, records there, following the instructions that Migadu gives you. One nice thing is that you can set up emails for several people who use the domain – such as people who work at a company. I found it from an article by Sergey Budaev on his Substack.