Briar Desktop got another round of funding

Briar Desktop got another round of funding

So far, Briar is only available as an Android app, which is preventing some organizations that work in repressive environments from using it as a secure communications tool and considering it as a more secure alternative to email. To remedy that, we have started working on a desktop app in September 2021 that is supposed to work on three major operating systems: Linux, macOS and Windows. We already released a beta version for Linux, including private chats in January 2022.

We are very happy to announce that the project got funded for another 12 months. We already started working on Briar Desktop and we expect to finish in spring 2023. The Desktop team - consisting of the 3 developers Sebastian, Torsten and Mikolai and Mo for the project organization - is continuing the development within the NGI Assure fund managed by NLnet.

For our User-Operated Internet project, we proposed to implement most of the remaining features of Briar Android on the desktop app. That includes group chats, forums and blogs. Also we aim to start making official releases for Windows and macOS. In addition, support for the upcoming mailbox feature should be implemented so that it can be used soon after this new feature will be released for Android.

The Desktop Team

Sebastian has been working in the Briar core team since November 2020 and develops new features for the Android App including the mailbox. With a background in development of both Android and desktop software, he was inspired to start working on a desktop app for Briar.

Mikolai has joined the desktop team in summer 2021 and has been focusing on backend engineering. He has become our specialist when it comes to researching and implementing best practices for the Compose UI framework.

Torsten has been working on Briar since 2015. He has supported the desktop team in the last few months and we are happy to have him on board for the next development cycle.

Mo will take care for the project management and the organizational stuff concerning the funding.

About Briar

Briar is a messaging app designed for activists, journalists, and anyone else who needs a safe, easy and robust way to communicate. Unlike traditional messaging tools such as email, Twitter or Telegram, Briar doesn’t rely on a central server - messages are synchronized directly between the users’ devices. If the internet’s down, Briar can sync via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, keeping the information flowing in a crisis. If the internet’s up, Briar can sync via the Tor network, protecting users and their relationships from surveillance.

Briar has received funding from the Small Media Foundation, the Open Internet Tools Project, Access Now, the Open Technology Fund, the Prototype Fund, Internews, the NLnet Foundation, the Next Generation Internet programme, the ISC Project and eQualit.ie.

Contact

Torsten Grote <torsten@briarproject.org> [PGP key]

Michael Rogers <contact@briarproject.org> [PGP key]

Twitter: @BriarApp

Mastodon: @Briar