Proton Launches Meet: The New Encrypted Videoconferencing Platform Challenging Google, Zoom, and Microsoft, Focusing on Privacy

Proton has announced the launch of Meet, a new videoconferencing platform designed to offer a truly privacy-focused alternative to popular services like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. The primary goal is to ensure secure and confidential communications, addressing growing concerns related to personal data protection.

Proton Meet allows for end-to-end encrypted calls, ensuring that only participants can access the content of discussions. The service is free for meetings lasting up to one hour with up to 50 participants and does not require a subscription or the creation of a Proton account. For more advanced needs, a 'pro' plan is available starting at $7.99 per month.

The platform also serves as a response to regulatory requirements, particularly in Europe, where regulations like the GDPR impose high standards for data protection. Proton also highlights the issues related to laws such as the U.S. Cloud Act and the risks stemming from using user conversations to train artificial intelligence models.

How does Proton Meet work? Further details

From a technical perspective, Proton Meet utilizes the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol, an open-source solution designed for secure real-time messaging. All content, including audio, video, and chat, is encrypted directly on the user's device, preventing even Proton from accessing unencrypted data.

The infrastructure is based on WebRTC with Selective Forwarding Units (SFU), which allow for efficient management of multimedia streams among participants. Each meeting is protected by a link containing an ID and a password, managed locally and authenticated via the Secure Remote Password (SRP) protocol.

A key element of security is the dynamic management of cryptographic keys: whenever a participant joins or leaves a meeting, a new key is generated. This ensures that new users cannot access previous conversations and that those leaving the meeting can no longer read future discussions. Proton also emphasizes that no sensitive data is stored, such as IP addresses or participant information, thereby significantly reducing risks in the event of server breaches.