Privacy Review: Silent Circle

What is the Silent Circle?

That is a great question! I had not heard of the Circle until I started researching how to make the internet free. When you do that research (and you should), you will come across several important names: Edward Snowden (the notorious whistle-blower), Julian Assange (founder of Wikileaks), Sir Tim Burners Lee (widely credited with creating the internet), and usually Phil Zimmerman. Phil Zimmerman created a program known as PGP – or pretty good privacy. When he created it in 1990, he was arrested by the US Government for distributing encryption systems across borders. After winning his court case in 1996, Phil has worked tirelessly to create systems that ensure privacy on the internet. His most recent project is the Silent Circle.

Zimmerman created a way to encrypt VOIP communication (voice over internet protocol) like Skype and Google Voice. His encryption is called ZRTP, or the Zimmerman Real-time Transport Protocol, which encrypts phone communication from end-to-end (even detecting and removing the possibility of cloning and other attacks). As far as I can tell, this is the most effecient way to encrypt your communication with anyone in the world (not even meta-data can be collected).

When you join the Silent Circle, you will pay a monthly subscription fee (which is $12/month minimum but is worth it so that this does not happen). When you subscribe to a plan, you are given both Silent Phone and Silent Text (as well as the Silent World contact system) as well as a phone number that people can use to call/text you securely.


 The Video Review


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Overall Rating

  • Interface
  • Engagement
  • Productivity Value
  • Privacy Value
4.8

Summary

The Silent Circle is a great company to support if you want to further the goal of internet privacy. Using the services provided by the Silent Circle, you can encrypt and secure your communication (which is almost a must if you are outside the U.S.).