Briar Is in Maintenance Mode
The privacy-focused messaging app Briar has announced it will remain in maintenance mode rather than shutting down completely. The team will focus on essential security updates and bug fixes while addressing long-term technical challenges as resources allow.
Why it matters
Briar is a vital tool for activists and journalists; its continued existence, even in maintenance mode, is significant for digital privacy and internet freedom.
This is a quick update about the status of Briar. Short version: the project is still active but we're only making essential security updates and bugfixes for now.
For several years we've been trying to find solutions to some of the longstanding issues with Briar, such as high battery usage and unreliable background operation on Android, missing features like account backup and file attachments, and a difficult user experience for adding contacts and communicating offline.
We considered completely rebuilding the application from the ground up, or even splitting it into separate applications for online and offline use. Meanwhile, the project didn't have funding, we were reluctant to look for funding without having a long-term plan, and so we could only work on Briar in our spare time.
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