Who is listening in on your phone calls? On a landline, it could be anyone, says privacy activist Christopher Soghoian, because surveillance backdoors are built into the phone system by default, to allow governments to listen in. But then again, so could a foreign intelligence service ... or a criminal. Which is why, says Soghoian, some tech companies are resisting governments' call to build the same backdoors into mobile phones and new messaging systems. From this TED Fellow, learn how some tech companies are working to keep your calls and messages private.

Christopher Soghoian: How to avoid surveillance ... with the phone in your pocket

How to avoid surveillance ... with the phone in your pocket

Tech giants like Apple and WhatsApp champion privacy with default encryption, making surveillance without breach challenging.

Encryption democratization by tech companies evokes government ire, yet it's crucial for securing personal communications globally.

Modern tech encrypts calls and texts, making surveillance tough; a shift from past phone systems designed for easy wiretapping.