Today is a bit of a first on App of the Day on Pocket-lint. While the bread and butter of our 6pm slot is most often applications for mobile phones, it does include any kind of application whatsoever. So, we've had the odd web app, some computer desktop ones and even some for TV platforms but today is the first time we feature an app specifically for your browser; a plug-in, and this is no ordinary plug-in. It's a plug-in that's got you covered.

Scrambls

Platform

Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safar, FF Android

Price

Free

Where

Scrambls website


With more and more examples of ISPs and social networks threatening to give up your details as required, Scrambls is one of the consumer’s answers. Scrambls is a plug-in for your web browser that automatically turns your posts and messages into gobbledygook that not even the people working for the social sites, upon which you post, can read.

Simply sign up for a free account with no information required, other than an e-mail address, and download the extension for your major browser of choice. Whatever you write on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn will then be converted through a custom algorithm which can only be read by anyone else who has Scrambls installed. Beyond that, you can make your own custom groups so that it will only decode for certain users of your choosing.

The Scrambls code doesn’t claim to be the most secure encryption on the planet. Ultimately, it would be pointless if it were because, if push comes to shove and the government wants to find out what you’re writing, then Scrambls will most likely have to hand over the keys. Where the software does come in useful is if you either, a) wish to share certain things on your social networks that perhaps you don’t want all of your friends and followers to read or b) if you don’t want that which you’re talking about to be used by the apps and advertisers looking to scrape your data.

If you think you like the idea of Scrambls, then do give it a try because, in practice, the service is incredibly smooth. The sign up is quick, the concept is straight forward and the interface is not only minimal and light but also very usable. It requires almost zero maintenance, save setting up or trimming your groups.

Scrambls is free for now but expect some premium features to follow at some point. The system already works on Android and is set to come to other mobile platforms in the future.

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