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Ask HN: So which email service does provides privacy?

7 points by impostervt ↗ HN
I'm a gmail user, and though I like that it's free and easy to use, I've become concerned enough about privacy that I'd like to make a switch. Are there any existing email providers out there that you trust, as far as privacy goes?

6 comments

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conroy
Email is inherently insecure. Even with PGP encryption, metadata is always transmitted in plain text. LavaBit encrypted message bodies as soon emails entered their system, and they were still susceptible to government influence.
mark_l_watson
You have a few possibilities. The most secure is setting up your own system on your own server. Sure, unencrypted data can still be picked up on route but this is probably the best solution for increasing privacy. If it is too much of a hassle for you to set up and admin postfix, etc. yourself, then choose a small email specific hosting company that has a strong privacy statement - this in general should be more private than GMail, Yahoo mail, etc.
impostervt
Any in specific? Or just any replacement for lavabit?
ddfu
Trick question. No service does, only your own.