Can we crowd-source a Brigada-sized initiative to analyze ProtonMail as a ‘prime example’ of secure communications? Can we ask you — and any I.T. people that you know — to hop on and verify to tell us… Is it true that ProtonMail is…

  • Open source, meaning that it’s possible to download the code and verify ourselves that there’s no possible backdoor for bad guys to acquire and spy on your email? And that there are no prying “advertiser-trolling eyes” that can see into it?
  • Based in Switzerland, and, as such, isn’t beholden to any government laws from anyone, anywhere, to give up access to your inbox?
  • Completely encrypted, top to bottom, even while it’s at rest on their servers?
  • Truly anonymous, in that you aren’t required to provide contact information to open an account? (It’s optional.)
  • Only 6.25 Euros/month if you pay annually for up to 5 gigs of storage. (See https://protonmail.com/business/pricing for the easy verification on that answer. haha)

Assuming all these things are true, we wonder… why wouldn’t more workers (who aren’t provided a secure solution by their respective agency or company) choose ProtonMail as opposed to Gmail or Yahoo.com or any fill-in-the-blank.com free, less secure email? Because, for example, is it true that Gmail would…

  • Perhaps have to hand over your email to a law enforcement official from virtually any country in which Gmail had a server/office?
  • Declare your email all but “dead” after it’s 6 months old, meaning that it would hand over those emails without a warrant even?
  • Perhaps analyze your email for “features” like calendar items and such, meaning that someone, somewhere, has access to your information?
  • And for all this and more, you resist paying $7 bucks per month?

Help us think through this picture? Why/How has Gmail practically become the defacto communications medium for the entire missions world, even in secure countries?????????????????????  What are we missing here? [Note: We receive no compensation or benefit from anyone for proposing this option.]