This is an update to an older post I wrote back in 2017 about how best to keep in touch with me. A few things have changed since then, but the general idea has stayed much the same. I still care about privacy, I still try to use tools that reflect that, and I still prefer communication that feels thoughtful and useful.
(TL:DR – Here is my contact info)
Communicating in 2017 2018 2019 2020 2025
Let me start by saying that this post is not really about telling anyone else what they should do. Most people use WhatsApp because it is easy, familiar and already on their phone. That makes sense. I understand why people choose convenience, especially when that is where friends, family and work conversations already happen. I have simply chosen a different path.
You do not have to agree with me on all of this. People will weigh privacy and convenience differently and that is fine. This is just the set of choices that feels right to me.
Over time I have become more aware of how much of modern communication depends on platforms built around collecting data. That does not mean everyone using them is doing something wrong and it does not mean I think I have got everything right either. It just means I have tried to make a few choices that sit better with me personally.
WhatsApp is probably the best example. Yes, messages are encrypted (using the Signal Protocol), but WhatsApp is owned by Meta and Meta did not spend $19 billion buying it for no reason. Even without reading message content, there is still a huge amount that can be learned about you and others from everything around a message. Who you are in touch with, how often, when, where and on what device. That kind of information is valuable, especially to a company whose wider business is built on turning behaviour and connections between people into advertising revenue.
As a privately owned company, Telegram sits a bit more in the middle for me and I used it as such for some time. It can offer more privacy than some mainstream platforms, but it still is not where I want personal or genuinely private conversations to live. You can use end-to-end encryption there, which is good, but you have to choose it by starting a Secret Chat. It is not the default and I suspect most people never think much about that. So while Telegram may work as a middle ground for some, it still does not give me the same confidence that Signal does.
With all that said, here is what I do use.
Messaging
For most things, email is still my first choice.
It is not flashy, but it remains one of the most useful ways to communicate. If you want to plan something, send me details, share something important, or write about anything that might need to be found again later, email usually works best. It gives conversations a bit more space, can be archived and it is much better for anything that is more than a quick message.
I also still value the fact that email is open and federated. We do not all need to use the same provider for it to work. That is increasingly rare now, and I think there is something worth holding on to in that.
For instant messaging, I use Signal.
For me, Signal is the best mainstream option for private messaging. It is run by a non-profit, it collects very little data and every conversation is end-to-end encrypted by default. You do not have to remember to turn anything on or choose a separate secure mode. It just works in the way I think private messaging should. More importantly, Signal collects so little information about its users that it has nothing to monetise in the first place.
Download Signal: https://signal.org
Connect with me using this link once you have downloaded Signal [click here]
Calls
For voice calls, my mobile number is still the simplest option for local calls. Email me if you do not have it.
If you are in the UK, you can also use my work landline on +44 (0) 121 599 5959. That will either ring through to me or let you leave a message.
Signal also works well for voice and video calls, and I am always happy to use it for both.
Staying in touch
You do not need to change what you use. I have simply chosen the tools that work for me, and the options above are the best ways to reach me.
If we are keeping in touch, those are the channels I am available on. Join me there. It is a small choice, really, but one that feels worth making 🙂
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