Best Skype alternatives for video and voice calls

If you're frustrated with Skype, check out this list of potential replacements for your phone.

Video and audio calls were revolutionized when Skype (iOS and Android) came to the fore in the mid-2000s, making it easier -- and cheaper -- for people across the world to communicate and see each other. The video conferencing giant has done its best to keep up with the times and its competitors, but peaked in 2014 after securing about 40 percent of the International call market.

The company was one of the first to offer Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services. And its low-cost model made it popular for computer users but it struggled to transition to a more smartphone-based market that prioritized mobile capabilities over anything else. And privacy has become a major concern for many mobile users, and other platforms have been able to gain the upper hand by encrypting all communication and providing other more potent security features.

Positioning itself as an internet calling service through computers after Microsoft's 2011 acquisition of the company, it eventually moved toward targeting businesses and corporations instead of consumers. Despite a redesign released last year, Skype has been unable to re-secure the hold it had on the industry and has ceded ground to companies that are better tuned in to the needs of modern app users.

Although Skype is still popular across the world, a number of apps have emerged from the fray and now dominate the chat and video call sphere. Here are the best alternatives to Skype.

1. WhatsApp

Image: WhatsApp

Of the most prominent alternatives to Skype, WhatsApp (iOS and Android and WhatsApp or PC) is one of the most popular, expanding rapidly across the globe primarily for its encrypted texting service. It now serves 30 billion text, voice, and video messages per day and continue to make additions, including the ability to send files within chats. The smartphone app, which is available on almost every platform except Linux, recently integrated a video calling feature to keep it up to speed with its competitors.

Some of the downsides to WhatsApp are the inability to call non-WhatsApp users and a lack of robust group calling options. Only 10 people are allowed into one chat, and you are limited in the number of messages you can send to non-WhatsApp users.

The messaging service was bought by Facebook in 2014 and now services nearly 1.5 billion users in India, Europe, Brazil, and dozens of other countries. The ease of use and phone number-linked accounts have made it a hit in app stores, and the addition as well as expansion of video offerings make it a worthy choice for those seeking Skype alternatives.

2. Signal

Image: Signal

Signal (iOS and Android) quickly became the darling of security experts thanks in no small part to its use of the Signal Protocol, a security feature now used by their rivals WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, and Google Allo to provide end-to-end encryption.

Signal is the brainchild of security researcher Moxie Marlinspike and roboticist Stuart Anderson, who combined the RedPhone encrypted voice calling app and the TextSecure encrypted texting program in 2014. The service allows users to make video and voice calls on both iOS and Android, and was one of the first to give users encrypted voice calls for free.

Everything on the Signal app is done over Wi-Fi or data connection and it also has a desktop app. Another plus, it allows users to set time limits on messages that will erase them from both the sender's and the receiver's devices.

Run by Open Whisper Systems, Signal is now a favorite of both former NSA employee Edward Snowden and the US Government. The app was approved for use by Senators and their staff members by the US Senate Sergeant of Arms. The Democratic National Committee began using the app during the 2016 election cycle after its very public email leak.

Signal has been criticized for many of the same things WhatsApp has had to deal with, namely the use of a phone number to sign up for the service. Despite all of the app's security bonafides, experts have pointed to this as one potential flaw that can be exploited by those looking to break into systems.

3. Viber

Image: Viber

The free messaging app was created in 2010 and now boasts of more than 800 million users. Viber (iOS and Android) is available for iOS, Android, and Windows Phones, giving users access to messaging, video, and file exchanging capabilities on top of the ability to make calls to landlines for a small fee.

The app is also available for desktops and has a well-regarded group calling feature in addition to end-to-end encryption. The app features a number of offerings, including a long list of games that can be played between contacts and an overflowing library of stickers and emojis.

Using Viber, you can send documents, video and audio messages as well as images and gifs. You can also create or join chat rooms tapped in to your favorite bands or businesses.

4. Google Hangouts

Image: Google

Google's Hangout video chat app (iOS and Android) is just as good as the rest, giving users a service integrated into Gmail and other Alphabet apps that are already heavily intertwined in people's lives. It is available as an app, for iOS and Android, or as a web application accessible through any Google website.

The app is a 2013 amalgamation of three former Google projects: Google Talk, Google Plus Messenger and the Hangouts feature of Google plus. The combined service offers users chats with up to 100 people, video calls with up to 25 participants. Users can do text, voice or video chats, send documents, text messages, gifs and more using the app.

Google Hangout has been hailed as one of the more reliable video call services and is used widely among businesses for conferences. The ability to share screens with a caller is also crucial for many companies.

The app has been criticized for it's chat feature, which opens new dialog boxes for every chat and can become cumbersome for your screen. But its integration with Gmail makes it a crucial addition to their suite of offerings, and its above-standard video calls make it the cream of the crop.

5. FaceTime

Image: Apple

Originally attached to the release of the iPhone 4 in 2010, FaceTime (iOS) and its audio-only component are Apple's main video-messaging platform, allowing users to video chat or call other iOS users easily.

Previously, only allow two people to call one another at a time, but in June Apple announced that up to 32 people would be able to take part in a group call. The service is end-to-end encrypted and Apple doesn't record any of the calls, making it a secure option for any Apple users.

The downsides to the service are fairly obvious: it is only available for Apple users with devices containing front-facing cameras.

6. Facebook Messenger

Image: Facebook

Facebook's Messenger app (iOS and Android) is used widely due to its obvious association with the massive social media platform and the simple interface. Users of the app, which is available for iOS and Android, will be able to send text and voice messages on top of a video chat feature.

After splitting from the main Facebook app in 2014, Messenger is now used by over 1.2 billion people to send images, videos, emojis and much more on a daily basis. The app has been criticized because there is no way to "turn it off" or log out, and with recent news about Facebook's lackluster security and questionable business practices, some have wondered whether chats have been compromised throughout the company's myriad scandals over the last few years.

That being said, its proximity to Facebook makes it ideal for those trying to connect with people who also have accounts on the social media site. While the video calls can be lackluster and the voice calls can sometimes drop out, the easy sign up and hassle free use make it a lower tier option for those looking for simple, close-to-home chat options.

7. Appear.In

(Credit: Appear.In)

Appear.In (iOS and Android) is lesser known than some of the flashier names on the list, but its functionality and easy interface make it a necessary addition to the list. Created in 2013, the app quickly became popular because you don't need to sign up for anything or download any software. All you do is go to the site and share the video link with the person you'd like to connect with.

You can hold video and voice calls with up to 8 people and the app features a variety of security measures to keep users safe. You can bump it up to 12 people if you're willing to pay $12 per month for their services. There is an app for iOS and Android in addition to a web offering. It features Snapchat-like filters and backgrounds in addition to high-quality video and sound.

*this article was featured on Download.com on October 9, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/best-skype-alternatives-for-video-and-voice-calls/

Facebook caught testing Instagram user location history →

Instagram's founders resigned last week reportedly over efforts by Facebook to gather more user information from the popular app for targeted ads.

Facebook's rough week started with news of a potential data breach exposing nearly 50 million users and is ending with further controversy, now that eagle-eyed tech researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered testing for a feature that would give location data from Instagram -- even if the app was closed -- to Facebook.

Facebook was forced to release a statement to TechCrunch about the feature, and Wong said it was later shut down. But the move comes on the heels of a major change in management at Instagram. The company's founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, quit last week amid rumors that they, like recently-resigned WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, were having increased concerns about Facebook's stance on data, privacy, and information collection practices.

Facebook announced recently that former News Feed VP Adam Mosseri would run Instagram, with the primary goal being closer ties between the two apps. Instagram continues to be one of Facebook's best purchases and has helped the company's popularity stay afloat amid a seemingly never-ending stream of bad news.

But the company was recently fined $122 million by the EU for siphoning data from WhatsApp. Facebook has been able to use its other, more successful apps to push people back into the Facebook orbit with constant ads and attempts to take you to the main Facebook app. With location data from Instagram, Facebook would be able to target ads based on where you are and note what stores you go to.

"To confirm, we haven't introduced updates to our location settings. As you know, we often work on ideas that may evolve over time or ultimately not be tested or released," a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch.

"Instagram does not currently store Location History; we'll keep people updated with any changes to our location settings in the future," it added, implying that there were plans for the feature to appear in both Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The feature may also be tied to other efforts on Facebook to tie events to locations and create "find friends nearby" capabilities.

Users could find the information stored in Facebook Profile's Activity Log, even containing maps of where you went with the time and date. When you go to the page, a Learn More tab leads you to an explanation from Facebook where it openly admits to tracking your location even when the app is not in use.

"When Location History is on, Facebook will periodically add your current precise location to your Location History even if you leave the app. You can turn off Location History at any time in your Location Settings on the app," it writes.

"Facebook may still receive your most recent precise location so that you can, for example, post content that's tagged with your location. Location History helps you explore what's around you, get more relevant ads, and helps improve Facebook."

Google employs many of the same tracking tactics as Facebook and has been similarly criticized for the data it stores on your location history even when you aren't using its apps. It faced a heavy amount of criticism and blowback from users in August when the AP confirmed that Google could and did track people even when they turned the Location History feature off.

Location data is a particularly thorny issue, especially after a Facebook employee was arrested in May after stalking a woman online using his position as an engineer to track certain data about her. Facebook chief security officer Alex Stamos was forced to apologize in a statement at the time, writing that it was "important that people's information is kept secure and private when they use Facebook."

"It's why we have strict policy controls and technical restrictions so employees only access the data they need to do their jobs - for example to fix bugs, manage customer support issues or respond to valid legal requests," he added.

"Employees who abuse these controls will be fired."

*this story was featured on Download.com on October 5, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/facebook-caught-testing-instagram-user-location-history/

Facebook is creating a personal timer to curb your social app addiction →

The social media giant may show you just how much time you spend using its service.

Eagle-eyed engineer Jane Manchun Wong found code buried within Facebook's Android app showing the social media giant has created an as-yet-unreleased feature called "Your Time on Facebook," which displays how much time you've spent on the social media site.

The "Time Well Spent" movement, which was started in earnest around 2013 and has gained steam in recent years thanks to the Center for Human Technology, has sought to force tech companies to rethink how they design their apps in an effort to address user complaints and surveys that found social media users increasingly distressed about how much time they spent on social media.

The main culprit users and other tech companies point to is Facebook. Other companies are creating features on both iOS and Android that allow you to check your app usage and time spent, with Apple even mentioning Facebook specifically at its recent developer conference in reference to apps you may want to limit your time on.

The potential Facebook feature, called "Your Time On Facebook," was confirmed by Facebook to TechCrunch. "We're always working on new ways to help make sure people's time on Facebook is time well spent," Facebook told Josh Constine.

According to Manchun Wong -- a computer-science student at the University of Massachusetts -- the unreleased feature will allow you to see just how much time you have spent on Facebook per day and give you the option of setting daily or weekly time limits. She also discovered earlier this month that Facebook was planning something similar for Instagram called "Manage your time."

Limiting screen time

Apple made smartphone app usage an integral part of its keynote presentation at WWDC this year, highlighting the Screen Time feature in iOS 12 that will give users information on app usage and allow you to set time limits for every app. Google is doing similar things with the upcoming Android P update, with an even bigger focus on general phone usage, even creating a feature that would allow users to set a time when your phone automatically goes into "Do Not Disturb" mode.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has leaned into the idea of reducing time on the social media site, with all the criticism aimed squarely at his company.

"Time spent is not a goal by itself. We want the time people spend on Facebook to encourage meaningful social interactions," he said in November.

But Joe Edelman, who has been working with the Time Well Spent nonprofit organization, disagreed with Zuckerberg's assessment of the issue, writing in a Medium blog post this year that the Facebook CEO's desire to get back to "personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other" was shortsighted and did not address the core issues plaguing the site's users.

"If the simplified actions and relationships weren't designed with a users' particular values in mind, then using the software can make living by their values more difficult, which leaves them feeling like their time was not well spent," Edelman wrote.

"Designed to addict us"

"As users, we end up acting and socializing in ways we don't believe in, and later regret. We act against our values: by procrastinating from work, by avoiding our feelings, by pandering to other people's opinions, by participating in a hateful mob reacting to the news, and so on."

The Center for Human Technology says that while the amount of time spent is a concern, it's how that time is being spent that underpins the negative feelings people may have after using these websites.

"Snapchat turns conversations into streaks, redefining how our children measure friendship. Instagram glorifies the picture-perfect life, eroding our self worth. Facebook segregates us into echo chambers, fragmenting our communities. YouTube autoplays the next video within seconds, even if it eats into our sleep," the center wrote.

"These are not neutral products. They are part of a system designed to addict us."

*this article was featured on Download.com on June 25, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/facebook-is-creating-a-personal-timer-to-curb-your-social-app-addiction/

Could Facebook's data debacle force more companies to act like Apple on privacy? →

Apple CEO Tim Cook called on Congress to create tougher measures protecting people's data and privacy.

At a recent forum in Beijing, Apple CEO Tim Cook called on US legislators to address digital privacy issues, highlighting the need for corporations to let their customers know how, when, and why their data is being used.

"The ability of anyone to know what you've been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life—from my own point of view, it shouldn't exist," he told the crowd at the annual China Development Forum on Saturday.

Cook later added: "I think that this certain situation is so dire and has become so large that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary."

Facebook is reeling from revelations aired last week that the company had been allowing third-party app makers, developers, and others widespread access to significant amounts of their data. Many users have complained that they were not aware of Facebook's use of their personal data, 'like' history, and other profile features.

The news has prompted a growing #DeleteFacebook movement, wreaking havoc on Facebook's stock market position and forcing CEO Mark Zuckerberg to release multiple apologies, even acquiescing to possible legislation by Congress.

"We've worried for a number of years that people in many countries were giving up data probably without knowing fully what they were doing and that these detailed profiles that were being built of them, that one day something would occur and people would be incredibly offended by what had been done without them being aware of it," Cook said, according to Bloomberg. "Unfortunately that prediction has come true more than once."

British news outlet Channel 4 released a series of videos and stories last weekillustrating how political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica used over 50 million American Facebook profiles to craft and bombard people with hyper-specific political messaging, some of which they openly admitted was propaganda and false information.

Both US and EU lawmakers are scrutinizing Cambridge Analytica's actions as well as Facebook's privacy policies concerning how they store and market access to people's data.

In an attempt to address this very issue, the EU passed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a set of rules designed specifically to protect data collected by any company that does business in any EU nation. The 2016 legislation comes into effect on May 25, and companies are scrambling to comply with it.

"Under the GDPR, before processing any personal data, a business must ask for explicit permission from the subject. The request must use clear language. The provisions of the regulation specifically outlaw the use of long documents filled with legalese, so hiding permissions within a tome called Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy will not suffice," according to Tech Republic. "The consent must be given for a specific purpose and must be requested separately from other documents and policy statements."

Cook's predecessor, Steve Jobs, called on companies in 2010 to do many of the things listed in the GDPR themselves, warning of privacy issues that may crop up in the future.

"Privacy means people know what they're signing up for, in plain English, and repeatedly," Jobs said in a speech, according to TechCrunch. "I'm an optimist; I believe people are smart, and some people want to share more data than other people do. Ask them. Ask them every time. Make them tell you to stop asking them if they get tired of your asking them. Let them know precisely what you're going to do with their data."

*this article was featured on the Tech Republic website on March 26, 2018: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/could-facebooks-data-debacle-force-more-companies-to-act-like-apple-on-privacy/