Typically, I assume, those sorts of conversations aren’t had using consumer messaging platforms on the Secretary of Defense’s iPhone. Also, I sort of assume that the people involved are smart enough and tech-savvy enough to notice that a journalist has entered the group chat.

You probably use text message, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or even Instagram to chat with others. And while those messaging apps work fine, some still seek out alternatives that lean hard into a promise of security and privacy—like Signal.