Basics: All you need to know about Proton
I'm an email lover and I have always used Gmail and AOL...
...until now.
P.s., this article is not an advertisement, it's just some research I'd put together.
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What is Proton? What is Proton Mail?
Proton Mail was founded in 2014 by a group of scientists who met at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).
"We began as a crowdfunded project, and today Proton has a vast global reach," boasts Proton, the Swiss company that is pushing for equal rights to online privacy.
Their push for internet freedom is a cause that many around the world are standing behind: Proton Mail is currently the world’s largest secure email service. Proton's second product, Proton VPN, is one of the world’s most popular VPN services.
"Whether it's enabling internet freedom in Russia or public policy advocacy in Brussels, Proton is at the forefront of the global fight for online freedom."
Why choose Proton Mail over a standard service?
Imagine you write a letter to your friend. With regular mail like Gmail, it's like putting your letter in a see-through envelope that your postie can peek into whenever they'd like to.
Proton Mail is like putting that same letter in a special locked box that only you and your recipient have the key to. Only those in the email chain can open it and read what's inside.
Why people like it:
Proton is so secretive, that Proton couldn't read your emails even if they wanted to. When you first log in, you have to keep a secret code.
I'm being so serious, the code is so secretive that your account is truly gone if you lose it.
Why I, personally, like Proton: it proudly supports journalists!
Here's a snippet from their website:
"Protect your sources and communications from surveillance and data breaches." sick. "Bypass government censorship," LOVE. "Store your data in Swiss jurisdiction," how. fkn. baller.
"Proton is committed to protecting independent journalism all over the world. That’s why we offer journalists free access to Proton’s full suite of products. We have already helped hundreds of journalists protect their data all over the globe, many working in parts of the world known for attacking free speech and detaining reporters."
How cool.
How it's different from Gmail:
In 2017, Gmail was under fire for using the content of our emails to choose which ads to show us. It was also caught using the contents to compile a backlog of information about you. While they don't currently use the content of your emails and what you're typing, they still use automated scanning for the rest of your Google products usage.
What this means, is that the ads you see in Gmail are still based on your broader Google activity search history, YouTube views, and other behaviors across Google services.
Basically, because Gmail is owned by a large company, they can track you on their services and create a profile to sell you things. Proton is smaller and focuses mainly on privacy. It is against what Google is doing.
By default, Gmail doesn't use end-to-end encryption. Proton, on the other hand, uses end-to-end encryption.
End-to-end-encryption in basic terms: it literally takes your message, scrambles it, sends it. The only person who knows how to unscramble it is the recipient.
Your options with Proton:
There's a free plan, which is good for basic email but you get less storage and fewer features.
Paid plans give you more storage, let you use your own .com email address, and add extra features.
Options start around $4-5USD/9AUDish per month.
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As always, if you'd like to send me a message, feel free to reach me via the contact page or sullymacaroni@proton.me!
