Best email service for privacy in 2019

Hi all,

Long time reader, first time poster. I would like to know what would be the best privacy-based email service available? After seeing the gobs of data Google has on me, I want to change service providers for my email. I have iCloud, but I don't see that as being foolproof with privacy either. Protonmail only allows 125 Messages a day, but with some of the subscriptions I have, that may not suffice (Linux mailing lists and that).

What would you recommend? Thx

 

Any email service is more-or-less private as long as they don't know who you really are. But of course, that doesn't work for stuff that needs to know who you are. And especially if they need to know where you are. Such as government services, bank accounts, Amazon and other online shops, etc. For that stuff, ProtonMail or Tutanota are probably the best option. And if you pay for either, there are fewer limitations. Some consider FastMail very good, but there's no free option, and it's probably less private. It's an Australian firm, and they're not so privacy friendly.

For stuff that doesn't require your real name, such as forums and mail lists, the most important thing is compartmentalization. A Linux mail list is fine, but there's some stuff that you may not want associated with your real name. So you connect via VPNs and/or Tor, and you have other email addresses. ProtonMail or Tutanota are great for that too. But you can also use any provider that doesn't require identification. Tutanota via Tor doesn't require a mobile number. But ProtonMail does, unless you use their Tor onion address. And both accept Bitcoins.

There's another option that's Tor-friendly, has a Tor onion address, and requires no identification. But Winders post filter won't let me mention its name So let's see how close I can get. It's C*ckMail. And rhymes with DockMail.

 

Msgsafe.

 

https://restoreprivacy.com/secure-email/

 

So who are they?

They only have Android and iOS apps.

 

Tutanota now blocks multiple accounts from the same i.p address. You can not use vpn's to sign up anymore. They are all blacklisted. Protonmail still allows sign up's from vpn's but you have to disable your script/adblocker to solve the capatcha which is bad. Sign up for more than 2 accounts with the same i.p in a short time and your blacklisted too. It's becoming harder and harder to use vpn's/tor on the internet because most sites are blacklisting all anonymization services to the point where the services are unusable.

 

Come on. They provide free e-mail accounts. Probably hundreds of thousands of people tries to abuse their services, including thousands of malware authors and botnet operators. They have some right to self-defense against that.

 

Well then, be sure not to use the same IP address!

It's been a while since I checked Tutanota via Tor, but ProtonMail was fine with Tor just some days ago.

And that unmentionable email provider really doesn't seem to care at all. They're chan folks So remember it's all for lulz.

 

Popular among threat actors, so the anonymity should be more than decent

They have a classic site.
Im not aware of any other popular mobile platform. (unless I misinterpreted you)
Windows mobile is dead and Linux-based ones are known by few.

 

I used Countermail for when I was literally under attack with my Gmail accounts seamlessly accessed despite all measures and without any indications on the site. But it is user unfriendly and no longer allows forwarding. The USB key is great if you need security, but there is no password recovery so if you mess up with the password change, you lose the account.

I have now moved to Tutanota as it has a good UI on a small phone, and custom email domains so I can access my own domain emails; no POP or imap. Not perfect, but best of the group I explored. It also has short email addresses, and many three digit numbers available if you want XXX@tuta.io.

 

https://www.privacytools.io/

 

I don't use smartphones.

 

I'm using Tutanota, and like it. For reference, I wouldn't "recommend" email at all, but if you want encrypted email, it does sensible things. It has also released a cross-platform desktop client which I think is an improvement (though it's based on Electron). At least that code can then be signed properly.

I haven't bothered anonymising my payment on it though, that's not the purpose. The premium account is necessary for the 2fa aspects and aliases.

 

I just tried to signup on protonmail in using Tor and of course their onion address. But as soon as I clicked on "signup" or on "create account", the url switched to protonmail's clearnet address, and during the sign up process, I was required to give a phone number

 

Without knowing your threat level, is there a reason you can't just use a burner?

 

There is no such thing as a 'burner' phone anymore in the developed world let alone the 3rd world. Burner phones existed in the 90's early 2000's but that has been stopped. You can not activate a sim without government issued i.d anywhere anymore. The only way you can use a phone anonymously is if you steal someone's identity and sign up with it but then gps/internet location/cell tower data gives you away in the end. Anonymous phones do not exists anymore period, encryption however does exist so use that.

 

It could be a solution for sure. But where I live, being a little anonymous is slightly more complicated than in some other countries. For example, to get a prepaid card, you have to give a phone number. And concerning the burner, you can buy one with cash, you can buy a sim card with cash, but to activate the sim card you have to give a phone number and to reveal the numbers written on your identity card.

As the process may sometime (and for now) be performed by phone, it would suffice to have access to a "fake ID numbers generator" concerning my country, but I don't know any.

 

Damn, that's not good. I'll test creating a new account. If this is what they do now, they're no longer offering privacy.

 

Yes, getting burner phones is easy, in many places. But in many cases, activation requires calling from another phone. So unless you already have a burner, where can you call from, without linking it to you or someone you know?

Years ago, I played with this stuff. I ended up activating burner phones using public payphones. But there aren't too many of those around anymore. However, there are websites and forums for hobbyists who find working payphones. So I did lots of driving, hundreds of km sometimes, seeking working payphones. Convenience stores and gas stations in little country towns. A few old-school diners. Rural public libraries. Student dorms at small colleges. It was fun, in many ways. And my wife loves road trips.

But even once you have your burner phone(s), you can't use them near where you live and work. Indeed, it's best to keep them in a metal box, just in case they're pinging towers when turned off. So more road trips, whenever you need to use the damn things.

 

A hypothetical, if you will?
Yes, you do require an alternate identity to activate your sim so it can be used anonymously. If such an identity was acquired for the sole purpose of sim activation only, is that stealing, or is it just a temporary loan, much like pirating a movie?

That is not correct. In this case usage would be VERY minimal and it would not be difficult to prevent detection.

 

Nothing is black or white. Depends on what you use the identity for really. To commit serious crimes? Bad and very wrong. To be anonymous and communicate with friends/sources? Not so bad but still shades of wrong. There is a big difference between hurting yourself and hurting someone else which you are doing by stealing someones identity.

I don't think you understand the current landscape and what tools exist to track and identify people. It is not the 90's/early 2000's anymore.
Anonymous burner phones do not exist, anonymous anything does not exist (except for cash) and if it does lurk out there in the world it get's shut down very quickly. There is no way to be anonymous using a phone or the internet unless you use encryption. That's why you must use encryption at all times, it works most of the time.

 

Not impossible to be totally anonymous, but serious preparations must be done.

I can get a Sim card without registering my real name

I can buy a 2nd hand computer/phone only by cash and anonymize it.

I can use public wifi.

I can create fake account on Google or else.

Most importantly, I can create noise to hide in plain sight.

You have resources and knowledge, you can disappear from the grid.
The real question is "do I really need to take such length to just avoid being tracked if I do nothing wrong?"
Answer is no

 

With the smartphone, if you need to share an attached file in an email message, you won't have the option to share it with Tutanota.
You must attach the file manually.

I set Tutanota as the default email application and now it's OK.

 

Like a dog with a bone that it won't give up. It's because I DO understand the current landscape that I know burner phones exist.
AS @guest said "Not impossible to be totally anonymous, but serious preparations must be done"
Nevertheless, this could go on forever without reaching a satisfactory result, so, you are entitled to one reply - which I will read but not respond to.

 

I gave up on this argument a while back, it is a belief system you are trying to change.

Back in the LE days, it was interesting that there is always something overlooked by even the most determined as it is too exhausting to constantly maintain the vigilance required to stay off the grid.