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.

Long version:

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.

Last year, we decided that we wouldn’t realistically be able to solve these issues and so we reluctantly decided to shut down the project. We worked on releasing a final update for Android and desktop to allow the app to remain functional for as long as possible. In the meantime we were hearing a lot of supportive words from people we had told about our decision, and the app continued to attract new users. So finally we decided to continue the project in maintenance mode. We’re only making essential security updates and bugfixes for now, but eventually we hope to make some incremental progress on those longstanding issues.

We’re sending out this update because some rumours have been circulating that the project is shutting down, based on conversations we had with people in the internet freedom and privacy community last year. Those rumours are out of date: the project is continuing.

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

Nico Alt <[email protected]> [PGP key]

Torsten Grote <[email protected]> [PGP key]

Michael Rogers <[email protected]> [PGP key]

Mastodon: @Briar