Internet, if you didn’t know already, the government is watching! In a move to shoo big digital brother off your back, Peter Sunde, the co-founder of the copyright-be-damned torrent network The Pirate Bay, is raising funds to create what he promises to be a “totally secure” mobile messaging app.

The app, known as Heml.is will use end-to-end encryption so that messages will only be accessible by the sender and intended recipient. Messages will be encrypted with keys generated on the end user devices so that the service provider won’t have access to the plaintext information.

The app will be built with Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) for communication and Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) for encryption. Sunde, however promised that “we’re basing the technology on PGP, not saying it’s JUST PGP,” adding that more techno details will be revealed in upcoming weeks.

Heml.is Peter Sunde doesn't want the

government to read your texts.

But what makes this system different from other encrypted messaging systems? “There aren’t many options for secure mobile messaging,” Sunde said. “There are secure applications, but not entire systems that could be considered secure. There are questions hanging over the infrastructure those applications are running on and the country in which that infrastructure is located.

“We’re unfortunately the only group that is focusing on the whole picture, not just the technology,” he said.

It should be noted that the term “hemlis” is Swedish for “secret,” but also happens to incorporate .is, the top-level domain for Iceland, a nation known to be sympathetic to digital security concerns.

According to Heml.is’ FAQ, “there will not be any way for someone without access to your phone to read anything.” An interested party will only gain access to your messages if they gain access to your phone.

Earning money the old fashion way: nag for it

Sunde and company plan to launch the new app for both iOS and Android, and will release it “when it’s done.” The project is currently accepting donations in the form of PayPal or Bitcoin through its website and, as of writing this, has already raised $47,868 of its $100k goal.

Once released, the app will be free and not ad supported, though Sunde comments that “We’re going to nag people for money. We need to make sure that people know that we can’t do this without their money, and we can’t do ads or other funding besides getting money directly from the users, since it would compromise their safety as well.”

Himl.is A surprisingly design-minded mock-up.

Users who donate early to the app’s development will receive codes to unlock “extended features” in the app such as the ability to transmit images. Future users will also be able to purchase these features once the app is released.

Not just security minded

To the company’s credit, the app will not just be pushed towards techno-libertarians, and will attempt to reach a broader audience. The company’s tagline is “The Beautiful & Secure Messenger,” meaning that the company is not only interested in the security features, but will also invest in the app’s design.

Early mock-ups of the app take a very flat, colorful iOS 7 approach to design. It actually looks modern and accessible. The company promises that Heml.is is “a messenger for everyone, so we are dedicated to create the most user-friendly messenger ever.”

We’ll see how Heml.is translates beyond the small band of dedicated privacy advocates. Unfortunately, as history has shown, the public tends to get all riled up about security monitoring when issues arise, but eventually forgoes the outrage in exchange for convenience. How many are really taking the time to secure our PCs, when it’s so much easier to just trust that Apple, Google, and Facebook aren’t doing anything too unseemly with our digital lives.

With reporting by Lucian Constantin, IDG News Service

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This story, "Pirate Bay co-founder developing un-spyable mobile messaging app" was originally published by TechHive .