Browsers
Tor Browser (recommended for Android and Desktop)
Official Tor Project browser that enables connecting to web sites anonymously over the Tor network Only available on Android & Desktop
iOS, free, endorsed by Tor Project If you switch apps alot, you’ll probably want to change the Tab Security setting to Forget at Shutdown or Remember Tabs:
Brave (recommended for regular web browsing)
a regular browser with some extra attention to privacy ad blockers desktop beta has a Tor tab a crypto currency that pays you for your attention to privacy safe ads
VPNs
Switzerland No logs, 30 day free trial Free account: just VPN, no Tor (but you can still run a Tor Browser your self) Plus account: VPN + Tor. Useful for using Tor on iOS (but no support for .onion addresses). Has a few VPN + Tor nodes, one in TX, USA.
NordVPN (best $ value)
Panama No logs, free account Offers one “onion over VPN” server in the Netherlands
Orchid (blockchain, innovative)
Cutting edge, Web 3.0, decentralized blockchain technology – no link to identity, bank account, email, etc. Paid for with their OXT crypto token currency. Earn $12 in Orchid crypto tokens by watching a short Coinbase.com video tutorial
Messaging
Signal (a good baseline)
secure by default Ed Snowden approved similar to SMS messages mobile number is identity It helps to set your name and share your contact with a group. Make sure when you tap on the group heading, that you see the phrase “This group can see your profile “
good for a community with multiple real-time chat rooms on different topics iOS, Android, and Desktop E2EE encrypted by default, both individual and group chats identity is based on a private encryption key email and phone are optional federated, and it’s possible to run an independent server
Status.im (blockchain, innovative, easy to get started)
Decentralized, blockchain, crypto, the future now Identity is a private key Creating a custom alias like @myname
is more difficult, requiring purchase using their SNT crypto token A great way to learn about and gain experience with the emerging cryptocosm (the next major dominant technology evolution)
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an exploration of the Universe from the perspective of Thomas Spellman