The Curious Engineer

All blogs / Security

Element Blog

element.io/blog

Commentary and analysis on Matrix and sovereign communications

SecuritySociety / politics / economyNetworking

’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26
Posts
211 from 22 Jan 2019 to 29 Oct 2026
Posting
weekly (44 in the last year)
Kind
company blog
Feed
https://element.io/blog/rss/

2026 33

  1. A faster, rustier Element Web
  2. Operator, I need an exit from Big Tech calls
  3. “Matrix, come here.” The world’s first cross-border government federation demo
  4. Matrix Conference kicks off tomorrow: governments, choice and sovereignty
  5. Vendors behind openDesk join forces as Open Productivity
  6. openDesk now runs Element Server Suite, direct from upstream
  7. Smoother collaboration with integrations
  8. An Element Web for the future At FOSDEM 2026, the world’s largest open source conference, David Baker and Florian Duros presented an inside look at Element Web - from its early days to the bold plans shaping its future. David Baker 10/02/2026
  9. Putting it online is the easy bit
  10. Element partners with Arawa to bring sovereign, open-standard federated communications to French local authorities
  11. Making sovereignty standard for European governments
  12. Cyber Resilience Act: What changes this week and how Element is preparing
  13. Organise your chats your way with Sections
  14. We’re interoperable, so you can be sovereign
  15. Matrix-based ZaPuK confirmed as a core component within Germany’s Deutschland-Stack
  16. Element recognised as a Digital Public Good
  17. CompuGroup Medical (CGM) and Element partner to transform healthcare communications
  18. Sweden goes live with Matrix-based federation! Sweden's public sector just went live with Matrix-based federation! Steve Loynes 26/05/2026
  19. Air-gapped communications for national security Governments and national security organisations rely on air-gapped communications to protect sensitive and classified information. Yet the majority of air-gapped networks are running legacy technology. Steve Loynes 19/05/2026
  20. Seamless encrypted history sharing arrives in Element Seamless encrypted history sharing arrives in Element Andreas Sisask 13/05/2026
  21. The messenger challenge for defence organisations Real time communication is mission-critical, but legacy systems and consumer apps put defence operations at risk. Here's why national security needs a different approach. Steve Loynes 5/02/2026
  22. Digital sovereignty is built on an open standard that enables federation Across Europe, sovereign communications systems are already being deployed, and crucially, they don’t have to exist in isolation. Steve Loynes 22/04/2026
  23. Decoding the hidden trade-offs of E2EE and usability Decoding end-to-end encryption: Privacy vs. Usability. Read more about the trade-offs and how we work to solve them Andreas Sisask 4/02/2026
  24. Introducing the ESS Community migration tool We are officially releasing the first version of the ESS Migration Tool. Patrick Maier 31/03/2026
  25. Spaces has landed on Element X! Spaces have landed on Element X! Spaces bring a faster, cleaner and more intuitive way to organise conversations. Gone are the long, overwhelming room lists as you can now navigate discussions by department, project or interest with a single tap. Andreas Sisask 30/03/
  26. Meedio partners with Element to deliver sovereign communications across Europe Meedio partners with Element to deliver sovereign communications across Europe Meedio will use Element Server Suite Pro (ESS Pro) as the server backbone for its new Matrix-based communications platform, including video co
  27. Governments need to adopt Matrix responsibly It’s great to see another European government, this time Belgium, using the Matrix open standard as the foundation for digitally sovereign communications. Matrix enables digital sovereignty through decentralisation, self-hosting and interoperability. As a
  28. Sustainable decentralised comms at Element At FOSDEM 2026, Neil Johnson explained why sustainability is essential for open source software - and why it matters even more for decentralised networks like Matrix. Neil Johnson 25/02/2026
  29. Exploring MatrixRTC: Real time communication in rooms Members of Element’s VoIP team shared a deep dive into MatrixRTC, the framework bringing real time communication natively into Matrix rooms. Timo Kandra 19/02/2026
  30. The Digital Omnibus: opportunities and risks for open source The Digital Omnibus: opportunities and risks for open source Denise Almeida 18/02/2026
  31. Element’s multi-tenancy TI-Messenger solution secures ‘Good’ rating in gematik commissioned pentest Gematik’s pentest confirms ESS Pro for TI-M as a multi-tenancy server-side solution that’s ready for a TI-M Pro solution. Patrick Maier 17/02/2026
  32. Element Pro Web introduces Grid View Multi-room monitoring, made simple. Element Pro Web now has Grid View, so that you can see, send and track messages across multiple rooms at once. Danielle Kirkwood 21/01/2026
  33. When chat history matters most As limits land on some free self-hosted collaboration tools, more teams are turning to ESS Community - our free-use, open source Matrix distribution. Steve Loynes 14/01/2026

2025 39

  1. Element Call: Redefining conferencing for privacy, scale and sovereignty At Matrix Conference 2025, Florian, Aaron and Timo showcased how Element Call is bringing secure, federated, and scalable real-time communication to Matrix. Florian Heese 17/12/2025
  2. Element X and Pro updates; a glimpse into the future At The Matrix Conference 2025, I had the opportunity to reveal the evolution and journey to our flagship apps: Element X and Element Pro. Watch the whole presentation A big bet; building Element X A couple of years ago, we made a bold decision; to
  3. Hacking for a sovereign digital Europe One of the most exciting highlights from Element at HackDays was the launch of Project Aurora, a bold and experimental prototype web and desktop Matrix client. Matthew Hodgson 12/06/2025
  4. ESS - Element’s distribution for Matrix deployments ESS - Element’s distribution for Matrix deployments Patrick Maier 26/11/2025
  5. Verifying your devices is becoming mandatory From April 2026, only verified devices can send or receive end-to-end encrypted message on Element. Andreas Sisask 19/11/2025
  6. Element at the Summit on European Digital Sovereignty We’re delighted to be participating in the Summit on European Digital Sovereignty. Steve Loynes 18/11/2025
  7. Coordinated Matrix security update A new coordinated security fix for all Matrix server implementations is now published as part of the Matrix 1.16 off‑cycle spec update. Element Security 11/08/2025
  8. Why the Swedish Armed Forces’ switch to Signal misses the mark Genuine security requires a holistic approach that considers not just encryption but also data governance, accessibility, interoperability... Steve Loynes 11/03/2025
  9. The move to decentralised systems for mission critical technology Yesterday’s AWS outage highlights the importance of decentralised communications, and digital sovereignty. Governments simply cannot rely on systems with a single point of failure. Steve Loynes 21/10/2025
  10. The Matrix Conference 2025; a seminal moment for Matrix The Matrix Conference 2025 was a huge success, and the energy and enthusiasm was just incredible! Steve Loynes 20/10/2025
  11. Welcome to the all new Element Server Suite family of Helm charts! Introducing the new Helm-based Element Server Suite (ESS) - our family of products designed as an “out-of-the-box” way to deploy, host and maintain a Matrix-based system. Patrick Maier 16/10/2025
  12. Element Pro: Element X, built specifically for the workplace Element Pro - our new frontend client built specifically for the workplace! It's the perfect complement to our backend Element Server Suite Pro (ESS Pro). Steve Loynes 16/10/2025
  13. Ready for The Matrix Conference 2025! We’re ready for The Matrix Conference 2025 - 300+ participants from 20+ countries and 10+ governments - all championing Matrix-based sovereign, secure and interoperable communications. Steve Loynes 14/10/2025
  14. MAS migration unleashes Element X on Matrix.org With MAS having landed on the matrix.org server, Element X is now by far the best way to manage your matrix.org account on mobile. Steve Loynes 10/04/2025
  15. Hiding room metadata from servers Every year, Element takes on a small number of summer interns to work on various research and development projects. Internships are a significant part of our culture, and ~20% of the current Element engineering team has completed some form of internship with us befo
  16. New Element Web and Desktop apps have distinct Element X vibes! The brand new updates of the Element Web and Desktop apps include a major rework of room listings. It brings the ‘laptop and PC versions’ of the Element apps in line with the Element X design on mobile devices to give a far sleeker expe
  17. TI-Messenger is moving to Matrix 1.15 Gematik recently announced its intention to rebase its TI-Messenger specification on Matrix v1.15, which brings important improvements to TI-Messenger. Patrick Maier 17/09/2025
  18. Introducing ESS TI-Messenger version 1.0 🏥 We're launching our first TI-Messenger compliant edition of Element Server Suite built to suit TI-Messenger for German healthcare. Archie W 8/04/2025
  19. Helping to get everyone in their element Element is now more accessible by design and by default, thanks to more than 40 accessibility improvements. Danielle Kirkwood 29/07/2025
  20. Reality bites the UK government’s push to undermine end-to-end encryption The UK government’s bruising Apple encounter has, inadvertently, underlined the global support for end-to-end encryption in democratic countries. Steve Loynes 22/07/2025
  21. TI-Messenger goes live! It’s a milestone week for Germany’s TI-Messenger initiative as public healthcare insurers go live with their TI-Messenger based solutions! Steve Loynes 16/07/2025
  22. ESS 25.10: LTS, MAS migration and Element Admin Element is rolling out ESS 25.10, delivering new LTS releases for ESS Classic, ESS Pro and ESS TI-M, alongside refreshed builds for ESS Community. Patrick Maier 7/11/2025
  23. Element signs Chat Control open letter Element has joined other European organisations in an open letter to European leaders on the latest developments regarding Chat Control. Denise Almeida 7/10/2025
  24. Addressing fear, uncertainty and doubt thrown at Element and Matrix We’ve seen a serious uptick in misinformation about Element and Matrix over the last week, so thought it would be useful to set the record straight from Element’s side. Steve Loynes 20/06/2025
  25. The importance of open standard federation for chat A genuine open standard is the single most important part of ensuring digitally sovereign communications between multiple separate organisations. Steve Loynes 19/06/2025
  26. ESS Pro 25.04 LTS: A renewed commitment to security, stability, and scalability We’re excited to bring you Element Server Suite (ESS) 25.04 LTS, this month’s release includes a renewed commitment to security, stability, and scalability for enterprise-grade Matrix deployments. Steve Loynes 28/05/2025
  27. End-to-end encryption Many vendors claim to offer end-to-end encryption. Most don’t deliver. Dr Patrick Alberts 27/05/2025
  28. Large-scale multi-tenancy hosting for TI-Messenger and beyond How do you effectively onboard hundreds of thousands of healthcare clinics and pharmacies to Germany’s TI-Messenger? Patrick Maier 5/11/2025
  29. Element powers T-Systems’ TI-Messenger solution Element Server Suite Pro for TI-Messenger (ESS Pro for TI-M) gives T-Systems a complete backend for its #TI-Messenger solution, delivering outstanding performance, dynamic scaling and continuous security updates. Steve Loynes 4/06/2025
  30. End-to-end encrypted voice and video for self-hosted community users Those self-hosting a homeserver outside of ESS will need to deploy their own MatrixRTC infrastructure. Steve Loynes 4/04/2025
  31. Advancing Secure & Convenient Government Communications: The Case for Element The recent incident involving the inadvertent inclusion of a journalist into a Signal group chat where US officials discussed sensitive military operations highlights the complexities governments face when using consumer m
  32. A difficult chat: Messaging apps in Australian government The Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) produced an excellent report on consumer messaging apps within the Australian government. Steve Loynes 20/03/2025
  33. Build: Funding open source via commercial licensing We've created our Build subscription to provide a commercial license that lets you develop proprietary products while supporting the Matrix ecosystem. Archie W 13/03/2025
  34. Element X Web: A glimpse into the future How Element Web is evolving, by bringing the web and desktop version of the Element app in line with the sleek design and usability of Element X on mobile. Danielle Kirkwood 3/12/2025
  35. How Element protects against Signalgate style accidental invites Element Server Suite enables the IT department to integrate Element with the organisation’s existing directory system to securely manage end-users. Steve Loynes 3/04/2025
  36. Element Desktop update for Windows Hi everyone, Apologies, we had a blip with today’s 1.11.94 Element Desktop app update for Windows (both 32 and 64 bit). If you’re struggling with launching the Element Desktop app on Windows, please download it from https://element.io/download and install it over t
  37. Running outdated versions of Synapse is a problem If you’re still using the old Apache-licensed Synapse version 1.98.0 or older, you’re running unsupported, vulnerable software. Archie W 20/02/2025
  38. Free software needs free thinking How the public sector can best support the open source vendors that are working hard to deliver their digital sovereignty. Amandine Le Pape 18/02/2025
  39. Scaling to millions of users requires Synapse Pro Nation-scale Matrix deployments will fail if built on the community version of Synapse. Huge deployments need a different architecture, which is what Synapse Pro delivers. Steve Loynes 17/01/2025

2024 37

  1. In an increasingly volatile world, governments turn to Element and Matrix Governments need digitally sovereign, secure and interoperable communications. The demand for Matrix is palpable. Steve Loynes 19/12/2024
  2. Scotland’s brave new world of end-to-end encrypted workplace messaging The Scottish government has banned the use of WhatsApp. It needs an alternative that’s just as easy to use, but that is built for the workplace. Steve Loynes 17/12/2024
  3. Element X is now available with LTS ESS 24.10 We’re excited to announce the release of ESS 24.10, the latest Long-Term Support (LTS) version of the Element Server Suite! This is an important milestone as it brings Element X to customers who require the six monthly LTS releases of ESS. Archie W 13/11
  4. Experimenting with Matrix 2.0 using element-docker-demo element-docker-demo gives you a basic Matrix 2.0 implementation. Watch Matthew Hodgson, Element CEO and co-founder of Matrix.org, step through the set up. Matthew Hodgson 11/11/2024
  5. Deep dive into Element X! Element X is now the mobile app that almost all Element users should be using for messaging; both in the workplace and for personal use. Steve Loynes 29/10/2024
  6. openDesk enters the chat with Element! openDesk is an Office & Collaboration Suite for public administration. Element was selected by ZenDiS as the real time communications component. Steve Loynes 14/10/2024
  7. Synapse Pro slashes costs for running nation-scale Matrix deployments Synapse Pro is Element’s best practice Matrix homeserver. It transforms the performance and economics of huge public sector deployments. Steve Loynes 10/12/2024
  8. Adfinis adds Element to its Portfolio of Services Adfinis, a recognised and internationally active open source provider, and Element, a leading service provider for secure and decentralised real-time communication solutions, are entering into a partnership. Steve Loynes 20/09/2024
  9. We have lift-off! Element X, Call and Server Suite are ready! Element is launching the world’s first communications platform based on the upcoming Matrix 2.0 release. The result is blazing performance which outperforms the mainstream alternatives... Archie W 20/09/2024
  10. Element is combusting with excitement ahead of The Matrix Conference Element is bursting with pride to be the anchor sponsor of The Matrix Conference, which kicks off on Thursday. Steve Loynes 16/09/2024
  11. Showcasing TI-Messenger ESS at DMEA in Berlin Element is joining Adesso at DMEA 2024 in Berlin, where we will be showcasing the TI-Messenger Element Server Suite (TIM ESS). Archie W 9/04/2024
  12. Element secures ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification Element has successfully obtained ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, issued by Prescient Security LLC. Denise Almeida 21/08/2024
  13. Element signs partnership deal with Tele2 for secure collaboration Tele2, the Swedish network operator, has entered into a partnership agreement with Element. The partnership will see Element being provided by Tele2 as part of a new service called Tele2 Collaborate (Tele2 Samarbete), a fully managed
  14. ESS 24.07: Enhanced deployment health monitoring and next generation authentication We’re excited to bring you Element Server Suite (ESS) 24.07, this month’s release includes several improvements to make your organisation’s Element experience smoother and more efficient. Archie W 31/07/2024
  15. Ridgeline International secures Element partnership Ridgeline International and Element have signed an agreement that makes Ridgeline Element’s primary partner in the US National Security market. Steve Loynes 29/07/2024
  16. Disney’s Slack breach tells an important story News of Disney’s alleged Slack breach shows what can happen when organisations trust centralised communications platforms that don’t use end-to-end encryption Steve Loynes 14/07/2024
  17. ESS 24.04 is the new LTS release We're thrilled to announce the latest long-term support (LTS) release of Element Server Suite (24.04). This release represents a significant leap forward, especially for some of our larger customers who are using our previous LTS release of ESS which came out in Octo
  18. Listen, engage and educate; no matter how long it takes Last week we highlighted a deeply concerning development in the EU’s proposed regulation to combat child sexual abuse (aka Chat Control). The Belgian Presidency of the Council had put forward a proposal which, if agreed on, would take us closer
  19. EU’s Chat Control puts security and privacy at risk Since it was first proposed, the EU’s Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (aka Chat Control) has gained the attention of security experts, academics, civil society, and the private sector for all the wrong reasons. Denise Almeida 18
  20. Element sponsors public sector track at The Matrix Conference Excitement around The Matrix Conference is really beginning to build! The Matrix Conference is significant as it’s the first global in-person event that The Matrix.org Foundation has created. It complements the phenomenal Matrix Community
  21. ESS 24.05: now with Element Desktop MSIs! In our most recent version of ESS 24.05 we’re pleased to offer a Windows MSI (Microsoft Installer) build of Element Desktop. Many larger customers prefer MSI files for software installation. Archie W 29/05/2024
  22. Resetting the server-side key backup What is the server-side key backup? The server-side key backup is an encrypted copy of your Matrix client’s message keys, securely stored on your Matrix homeserver. To ensure those keys can only ever be accessed by you, they are encrypted on your device, with a k
  23. Senators implore Department of Defense to expand the use of Matrix Senators Ron Wyden and Eric Schmitt push the Defense Department to expand the use of Matrix to deliver sovereign, end-to-end encrypted and interoperable communications. Steve Loynes 5/12/2024
  24. Sustainable licensing at Element with AGPL We’ve chosen to switch our development to AGPL now that the wide scale public sector use of Matrix has attracted the attention of huge system integrators and similar. Matthew Hodgson 5/09/2024
  25. Security release: Synapse 1.105.1 Today we are releasing Synapse 1.105.1 [https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/releases/tag/v1.105.1], a security release to fix a High severity vulnerability. We advise you to upgrade your Synapse homeservers to this version at your earliest convenience. The securit
  26. Partnership with BigBlueButton for Matrix-based virtual classroom Announcing a groundbreaking collaboration between Element and BigBlueButton, marking a significant step forward in the realm of video conferencing technology in the education sector. Archie W 23/04/2024
  27. Secure communications landscape is now ‘Established,’ says Forrester The new Secure Communications Solutions Landscape Q2 2024 report, from Forrester Research, categorises Secure Communications as an ‘Established’ marketplace. Steve Loynes 19/04/2024
  28. UNICC selects Element for secure communications United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) has selected Element as its secure communications platform, following a competitive tender process. Steve Loynes 19/04/2024
  29. Secure video conferencing for Matrix 79% percent of technology leaders at large organisations feel their sanctioned video conferencing tools fall short... Archie W 19/03/2024
  30. NATO NI2CE Messenger utilises the power of decentralised communication NI2CE (NATO Interoperable Instant Communication Environment) is a sovereign and secure messenger that aims to complement existing communication solutions Steve Loynes 3/10/2024
  31. BSI funds security analysis of Matrix Matrix performs extremely well in BSI funded audit conducted by MGM Security Partners as part of CAOS initiative. Steve Loynes 3/09/2024
  32. DMA The EU Digital Markets Act is here. 🇪🇺 Happy DMA day, everybody! 🇪🇺 March 7th 2024 is the deadline Matthew Hodgson Mar 7, 2024
  33. Security release: Element X Android (0.4.12) and iOS (1.6.7) We have released security updates for Element X Android and Element X iOS to address a high-severity vulnerability. This flaw could expose server-side key backup [https://spec.matrix.org/v1.10/client-server-api/#server-side-key-backups] pr
  34. Meet Element R: our new unified crypto implementation We’ve created a common cryptographic library implementation in Rust - codenamed Element R - for all our Element clients. Archie W 27/02/2024
  35. Security release: Element Android 1.6.12 Hello, Today we have released a security update of Element Android to address a pair of vulnerabilities. Please upgrade to the new version (1.6.12) at your earliest convenience. The two vulnerabilities are as follows: * Sensitive file disclosure via share act
  36. 2024 is about being in your element In our latest ESS release (24.02), we've been laser-focused on improving our installation process for customers who self-host their servers. Find out the latest updates and stories from behind the scenes. Danielle Kirkwood 13/02/2024
  37. Open letter on CSA regulation We stand together with other European technology companies and associations to urge EU member states to align their position on the CSA Regulation to that of the Parliament. Denise Almeida 22/01/2024

2023 22

  1. Synapse now lives at github.com/element-hq/synapse Element is switching to use the Affero General Public License (AGPLv3) for its future contributions to Synapse and related backend Matrix projects. Matthew Hodgson 13/12/2023
  2. Data retention controls added to Admin Console! We’re adding new functionality to Admin Console such as data retention controls, full mobile support for administrators, improvements to our audit capabilities and overall improvements to our installation process. Karl Abbott 16/11/2023
  3. Long-term support ensures long-term success Our latest version of Element Server Suite (23.10) is our first release to include long-term support. Karl Abbott 11/10/2023
  4. A huge new update for Element Call Beta 3! Discover the latest update to Element Call: enhanced scalability now supporting hundreds of users, a dynamic grid layout, Element Web/Desktop, and upcoming end-to-end encryption. Jake Bowen-Bate 11/07/2023
  5. Secure Border Gateway: Enhanced control of your real-time communication data The Secure Border Gateway for Matrix is a powerful add-on for Element Server Suite that reinforces the security of your data by providing capabilities to address these critical needs. Karl Abbott 17/10/2023
  6. Upgrade Element Desktop Today we have released Element Desktop v1.11.45 which fixes CVE-2023-5217, a high severity vulnerability caused by the Electron dependency. Steve Loynes 29/09/2023
  7. Element X: Ignition We're announcing the first major release of Element X synchronised across both iOS and Android. Dr Patrick Alberts 21/09/2023
  8. The Future of Secure Communications The Future of Secure Communications is available for download. Conducted by Forrester Consulting, the study highlights the serious problems organizations have with how their workforce communicates. Steve Loynes 18/09/2023
  9. Preparing our customers for a new era of secure communication Start getting ready for Element Server Suite (ESS) for the new Element X app with ESS v23.09 Richard Lewis 13/09/2023
  10. The Online Safety Bill: An attack on encryption The Online Safety Bill has some genuinely good intentions, but the proposed legislation is remarkably poor. Matthew Hodgson 9/02/2023
  11. Announcing Element Server Suite (23.08): the 1st edition of our new predictable release cadence Introducing a consistent release cadence for Element Server Suite (23.08) In the world of today’s technology, maintaining a competitive advantage requires us to walk a fine line between innovation and rel
  12. Element X; now with embedded VoIP! We’ve made tremendous progress with Element X. It’s just six weeks since the Ignition release and, with this new update, Element Call is now fully embedded! Steve Loynes 7/11/2023
  13. A new home and license (AGPL) for Synapse and friends Element has chosen to pursue future development of Synapse, Dendrite and associated server-side projects under the terms of AGPLv3. Matthew Hodgson 6/11/2023
  14. Element X preview is now on Android too! We’ve released an early edition of Element X in the Google Play Store. Matthew Hodgson 6/09/2023
  15. Element X - experience the future of Element! Experience the future of Element! Element X isn’t just the fastest Matrix client ever - it’s up to 6000x faster than any other Matrix client. Steve Loynes 6/07/2023
  16. Utility companies need secure, mission critical communications Critical infrastructure and utility companies need secure, mission critical communications to protect against potentially life threatening disruption. Steve Loynes 6/02/2023
  17. India bans flagship client for the Matrix network Element is one of 14 messaging apps blocked by the Central Indian Government which - we believe from media reports - relates to Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Denise Almeida 5/05/2023
  18. The UK’s Online Safety Bill undermines everyone’s safety What is proposed is not an Online Safety Bill; it is an Online Surveillance Bill. Steve Loynes 17/04/2023
  19. Element is accessible by design Element is creating a more accessible future for everyone. Updates include: optimising the colours, increasing the contrast and enhancing the screen reading functionality. Danielle Kirkwood 4/08/2023
  20. End-to-end encryption; the will of the British people 83% of UK citizens believe personal conversations on messaging apps such as Element, WhatsApp or Signal should have the highest level of security and privacy possible. Matthew Hodgson 4/07/2023
  21. What is Out of Band communications? Out of Band communications should be used within the most security-conscious parts of the organization. Steve Loynes 4/04/2023
  22. Check out our gorgeous back-end… The real magic is in the back-end of Element, and today we are announcing not one but two new onboarding experiences! Karl Abbott 28/02/2023

2022 27

  1. BundesMessenger is a milestone in Germany’s ground-breaking vision BundesMessenger is a modified version of Element which we’re working with BWI to develop and maintain. Steve Loynes 16/12/2022
  2. Element in Deloitte’s Fast 50! Element was ranked 3rd in Deloitte’s UK Technology Women in Leadership category, and came 22nd amongst the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in the UK. Amandine Le Pape 18/11/2022
  3. Frontline workers and messenger apps; how to solve shadow IT Compared to the oversight an organisation has over its email, consumer messaging apps are the Wild West. The two most effective solutions are bridging or migration. Paulina Lundin 10/05/2022
  4. Important security update Hello, Please make sure you upgrade Element immediately to address a critical security update. The update resolves two critical severity vulnerabilities in end-to-end encryption - that were responsibly disclosed by researchers at Royal Holloway University London, University
  5. An unrecognisable improvement: Element’s new design is here! The redesigned layout brings big changes. With a focus on improving users' workflows, the app is now cleaner, easier to browse, and faster to navigate! Danielle Kirkwood 13/09/2022
  6. How to solve the ‘WhatsApp at work’ problem Workplace use of WhatsApp is an expensive habit - the SEC has issued $1B in fines. The solution is an enterprise-grade messaging and collaboration platform. Steve Loynes 9/08/2022
  7. Moderation needs a radical change Amandine Le Pape, COO at Element, explains how Element is funding moderation tooling and development for all of Matrix. Moderation of online information is topical for two completely unrelated reasons: 1. Moderation is proving critical in the context of disinformati
  8. A white label messaging app to create your own brand messenger Want a secure custom branded web-based messenger, but don’t want to pay a fortune? You can have exactly that using Element Cloud, from just $15 per month! via GIPHY [https://giphy.com/gifs/yes-avengers-infinity-war-ckeHl52mNtoq87veET] A
  9. Element Web/Desktop 1.11.4 - A security update, deferred DMs and more Element Web/Desktop 1.11.4 has security fixes so please make sure you upgrade. And Deferred DMs make starting a new conversation so much better! Steve Loynes 31/08/2022
  10. Element is a leader in The Forrester Wave™: Secure Communications, Q3 2022! We’re incredibly excited to share this news! In our view, being identified as a leader in The Forrester Wave for Secure Communications (Q3 2022) is a powerful validation of the benefits Element brings to large enterprises an
  11. All aboard! Better FTUE for less WTF While many understand the value of decentralised, interoperable, end-to-end encrypted chat and a whole treasure trove of communication features - it’s no good if folks can’t get signed up or logged in… 🎺 *Cue Fanfare* 🎺 So it *sparks joy* to launch our new “Sign
  12. A guide to navigating the Digital Markets Act A couple of weeks ago the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of Europe agreed on the main guidelines for the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA is legislation aiming to create a more competitive digital market in Europe by manda
  13. The Digital Markets Act explained in 15 questions What is the DMA asking for? The final text will probably be available around mid-May and voted for in early July, but the latest version [https://www.ianbrown.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Final-DMA-interoperability-text.pdf] we have seen lists the
  14. Element launches Chatterbox! We’re outrageously pleased to launch Chatterbox, an end-to-end encrypted embedded chat built on Matrix! Steve Loynes 7/07/2022
  15. Element Call Beta 2: encryption, spatial audio, walkie-talkie mode and more! Element Call Beta 2 includes encryption, spatial audio, walkie-talkie mode and lots more! Jake Bowen-Bate 7/06/2022
  16. Forrester's 2022 Now Tech report on secure communications platforms includes Element Forrester's Now Tech: Secure Communications, Q2 2022 report includes Element. The report helps enterprises build the business case for secure communications. Steve Loynes 24/05/2022
  17. Drop-in, drop-out chats with Video Rooms, and a new search experience! We're so excited to announce that Video Rooms is entering beta in Element, just as a new Room Search is exiting beta! Mathieu Velten 5/07/2022
  18. Our Enterprise Installer makes deploying Element on-premise easier than ever Our new improved installer makes deploying Element On-premise easier than ever! Karl Abbott 5/05/2022
  19. Introducing Threads in Beta! All users can now opt-in to our Threads Beta! Threads helps declutter the main room timeline by moving conversations and topics into the right panel. Danielle Kirkwood 21/04/2022
  20. Introducing Native Matrix VoIP with Element Call! Hopefully in-person meet-ups will prove much easier in 2022 - but, there’s still a need for video calls, so let’s face it, they’re here to stay. This makes it really exciting to present Element Call: the world’s first decentralised voice and video co
  21. A Big Step to address Big Tech It’s a major positive to see that interoperability is now baked into the DMA. Amandine Le Pape 25/03/2022
  22. Interoperability: Open APIs are a start, Open Standard is better The DMA is a noble piece of legislation, and mandating open APIs would be a good first step. But to be a successful piece of legislation, it must eventually choose open standard based interoperability. Amandine Le Pape 28/02/2022
  23. Element launches E2EE Location Sharing Location sharing can be seen in both a positive and negative light. Great in the sense that it provides an extra layer of safety and convenience to users. Ever tried finding your friends at a festival without location sharing? Impossible. A lone worker who want
  24. FOSDEM 2022’s communication infrastructure was provided by Element Matrix Services FOSDEM 2022 took place on Matrix 5-6 February, seeing anyone enthusiastic about free and open source software - from anywhere across the globe - meet, share ideas and collaborate. For a full write up from a pure Matri
  25. Secure collaboration for cybersecurity teams Imagine being a CISO, hauled into a boardroom, and asked: “Why is your team using a collaboration tool that isn’t even end-to-end encrypted?” Where would you go with that? * “The team is familiar with Slack; I didn’t want the pushback from replacing it.”
  26. dSam and eSam endorse Matrix for secure and federated communications in the Swedish public sector Element och Matrix har deltagit i eSams utvärdering av leverantörer som godkända digitala kommunikationslösningar i kategorierna bestående chatt och videokonferens. Magnus Hult 1/12/2022
  27. Element welcomes Polls! Polls allow anyone with ‘send messages’ permissions to post a question in the form of a poll with up to 20 possible responses. Jake Bowen-Bate 1/02/2022

2021 19

  1. 2021: It's been a busy year for Element! From time to time it’s worth stepping back and looking at progress. Amandine Le Pape 23/12/2021
  2. 2021 escalated quickly The first week of 2021 has sped the adoption of decentralised real time communication. Steve Loynes 12/01/2021
  3. Element 1.9.1 - Chat Export is finally here!! We’re pleased to announce that our latest release includes the ability to export chat from all Rooms and DMs on Element Web and Desktop. Danielle Kirkwood 11/10/2021
  4. Simpler plans for Element, on-premise and cloud! There’s now just two plans. The prices are the same whether Element is deployed as a hosted service or on-premise. Steve Loynes 11/10/2021
  5. Spaces blast out of beta Spaces rethink grouping rooms and people, fundamentally improving Element and Matrix to better group conversations instead of viewing all rooms all of the time. Mathieu Velten 27/09/2021
  6. EMS launches fully managed Matrix bridging for WhatsApp Element Matrix Services (EMS) now offers a fully-managed bridge for WhatsApp. Steve Loynes 9/09/2021
  7. Introducing Element Voice Messages, all new VoIP, and so much more... We’re incredibly excited to release major new versions of Element across all three platforms, introducing Voice Messages as a first class citizen! Matthew Hodgson 16/08/2021
  8. Element raises $30M as Matrix explodes! Element has raised $30M of Series B funding, led by Protocol Labs and Metaplanet. Automattic and Notion Capital are also participating in the round. Amandine Le Pape 27/07/2021
  9. EMS launches Matrix bridging for Signal Element Matrix Services (EMS) now offers a fully-managed bridge for Signal. Steve Loynes 6/10/2021
  10. Microsoft Teams and Slack integration using Matrix Element Matrix Services now offers fully managed bridges for both Microsoft Teams and Slack. Connect Element to both, and you can integrate Slack and Microsoft Teams via Matrix. Steve Loynes 24/05/2021
  11. Spaces: The next frontier We’re launching Spaces— the next frontier for how to group rooms and people in Element and Matrix. Join the public beta! Mathieu Velten 17/05/2021
  12. Universal universities On the open Matrix network, possibilities for academia are endless; read our blog how education can become more accessible, inclusive and open for everyone. Steve Loynes 28/04/2021
  13. EMS launches bridging for Microsoft Teams After offering bridges to Discord, Slack and Telegram, Element Matrix Services (EMS) is now launching Microsoft Teams Bridging. Steve Loynes 14/04/2021
  14. FOSDEM on Matrix We’re very proud to have sponsored FOSDEM this year, and to have had extra skin in the game by helping FOSDEM go virtual. Steve Loynes 15/02/2021
  15. Element suspended on Google Play Store: now resolved. Hi all, At 2021-01-29 at 21:35 UTC Google suspended Element from the Play Store without warning or notification. We submitted an appeal asking for clarification at 23:18, and at 05:31 received a generic update from the Google Play Policy team cit
  16. Element is best on-premise alternative as Skype for Business Server hits EOL A guide to on-premise alternatives as Skype for Business Server nears End of Life. Steve Loynes 16/06/2021
  17. EMS announces full availability of Slack Bridging Fully managed Slack Bridging lets EMS customers bring their Slack users straight into the open Matrix network Steve Loynes 20/01/2021
  18. EMS brings harmony to Discord EMS is now providing hosting for a fully managed bridge for text-based conversations in Discord. Steve Loynes 13/01/2021
  19. Welcome, Element Home! We’ve launched a brand new version of Element, called Element Home! Steve Loynes 1/03/2021

2020 25

  1. EMS brings more interoperability to messaging EMS is now providing hosting for a fully managed bridge for Telegram that supports both direct and group messaging. Steve Loynes 17/12/2020
  2. Here comes the missing communication layer of the web The Digital Markets Act is pushing interoperability between messaging apps; it's a major win for consumers. Amandine Le Pape 16/12/2020
  3. Element Matrix Services simplifies Slack migration Element Matrix Services (EMS) is releasing a new service to help organisations migrate from Slack to Element. Steve Loynes 16/12/2020
  4. Preparing data for a choppy sea crossing ‘When the tide goes out you can see who’s been swimming naked’ is an appropriate adage for organisations’ data protection as the UK leaves the EU. After a long period of negotiation, the United Kingdom left the European Union on the 31st of January of 2020. T
  5. A vision for every Element in the NHS Matrix Matrix can be the open protocol that brings instant - and cost-free - interoperability for real time communications across the NHS. Steve Loynes 12/08/2020
  6. BwMessenger goes live for Bundeswehr! BWI and Bundeswehr launches Matrix-based communications platform, BwMessenger. Steve Loynes 17/11/2020
  7. Privacy shield judgement points to a decentralised future In something reminiscent of David and Goliath, the stone of Max Schrems’ landmark legal challenge has shattered the Privacy Shield that protects centralised service providers. Denise Almeida 10/08/2020
  8. Gitter is joining Element When GitLab proposed that Gitter could be stronger as part of the Matrix network, we knew we couldn’t miss the chance! Amandine Le Pape Sep 30, 2020
  9. Element 1.7.8 is out! Highlights from Element Web 1.7.6, 1.7.7 and 1.7.8 Steve Loynes 29/09/2020
  10. Announcing the Element public roadmap We’re publishing the Element public roadmap in a new public repository and project board that anyone can access. Mathieu Velten 8/12/2020
  11. Bonjour, Element on Android! Element is built in Kotlin, so it has a much smaller and more maintainable codebase. The biggest focus has been on improving the user experience. Matthew Hodgson 28/07/2020
  12. Welcome to Element! Hi everyone, We are incredibly excited to announce that Riot is now Element! In fact we have simplified all our naming: Element is also the name for New Vector (the company behind Riot) while Modular, our flagship Matrix hosting service, has become Element Matrix Services. For th
  13. Element brings Matrix to Europe Although Element is working with companies around the world, our busiest region is Europe and in particular European governments and public sector organisations. There are multiple reasons, but three of the biggest are: * We’re a European company, so there’s a natural
  14. Gitter goes native! Native Matrix connectivity for Gitter is a proof point for interoperability between messenger apps. Steve Loynes 7/12/2020
  15. The world is changing... Hi all, It's almost four years since we launched Riot, and it's been a crazy journey - going from a relatively bare bones Matrix app through to today's all-singing, all-dancing encrypted-by-default collaboration tool used by folks ranging from Mozilla to the French Governmen
  16. Riot Web 1.6.6 is out! Hey lovely Riot folks, Welcome to the Riot Web 1.6.6 [https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/releases] update. This is a relatively incremental release, but we do have a few feature updates alongside all the normal bug and performance fixes. Emoji 13 and Emoji lookup Riot 1.6.6
  17. Riot Web 1.6, RiotX Android 0.19 & Riot iOS 0.11 — E2E Encryption by Default & Cross-signing is here!! Hi folks, We are incredibly excited to present the biggest change in Riot ever: as of the last 24 hours we are enabling end-to-end encryption by default for all new non-public conversations, togeth
  18. Automattic backs Matrix by investing $4.6M in New Vector! We're very excited to announce that Automattic [https://automattic.com/], the creator of WordPress [https://wordpress.com], is making a $4.6M strategic investment in New Vector in order to back the Matrix ecosystem - effectively extending our
  19. Modular goes global, adds new customers and introduces annual billing We’ve brought forward our global expansion plans, launching regionally-based Modular operations in both the United States and Singapore to complement our existing European hosting regions (Germany and the UK). We have expanded our
  20. Seven questions to ask yourself about the collaboration tools you chose (before someone asks you first) Nagging feeling you chose the wrong collaboration tool? Here are seven questions you should ask. Steve Loynes 16/04/2020
  21. Riot Web 1.6.3 - a security update, shortcuts, toasts (and rageshakes) Hello everyone! We’ve released a few updates for Riot today, grouped under the logically titled 1.6.3 (guess what the previous update was called...more on that later). Heads up that 1.6.3 is a security update, so please upgrade -
  22. High quality video conferencing from Modular Introducing a brand new high quality video conferencing service at no additional cost! Widespread remote working has rapidly increased the use of video calls and conferencing; a trend clearly demonstrated by Modular’s usage stats. As we adapt to living an
  23. Looking sharper! Hey Riot users, We’ve seen a massive spike in video conferencing in Riot so far this week: ...and the free conferencing deployment we’ve been running for Riot on the old matrix.org infrastructure has become completely overloaded. As a result, we’ve accelerated work to provide a prop
  24. Remote schooling: Health safety measures shouldn’t put our kids’ privacy at risk. As everyone is taking drastic measures to halt the spread of Covid19, online collaboration is even more of a critical backbone for the world. But should we protect our health at the expense of our privacy? Moving most
  25. Modular expands bridges and integrations From day one we’ve strived to ensure that Modular is the quickest and easiest way to securely host Riot and other Matrix-based communications products. So we’re delighted to start rolling out a range of integrations and bridges to ease deployment and manageme

2019 6

  1. Riot Web 1.5 — Big accessibility improvements, and introducing CIDER: our brand new message composer! Riot Web 1.5 is out now, landing our brand new message composer with improved accessibility, increased language compatibilty and enhanced stability! Accessibility improvements! In the last sprint we
  2. $8.5M to accelerate Matrix, polish Riot and expand Modular! The need for decentralised encrypted communication is becoming critical, as the pressure mounts on the big centralised communication silos to insert backdoors [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanmac/bill-barr-facebook-letter-halt-encr
  3. Personal Hosted Homeservers have landed!! Hi all, Ever since Modular launched we’ve been working away on offering smaller dedicated Matrix server hosting than our previous minimum size of 50 users. As of today, after lots of optimisation work and a successful trial to those who signed up on the wait
  4. Build your own custom branded chat platform at the touch of a button! Today we are pleased to announce that you can now customise your Element Matrix Services (EMS) hosted Element at the touch of a button, through the EMS host admin interface. This is available to EMS customers on Silver, Gold and P
  5. Mozilla selects Modular and Riot to power their community instant messaging After a formal 1-month trial [https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/synchronous-messaging-at-mozilla-trial-servers-feedback/44871] of 4 different platforms, we are very excited that Mozilla have announced their decision to move th
  6. HipChat migration - Don't follow the herd As you may be aware, the deadline is fast approaching when Atlassian will discontinue support for Stride and HipChat [https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Stride-articles/Stride-and-Hipchat-Cloud-End-of-Life-Just-under-30-days-away/ba-p/940248] , on February 1

Undated 3

  1. The Cyber Resilience Act: Implications for open source and digital products The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) is set to reshape digital product security in Europe. Applying from 2027, the CRA introduces security-by-design requirements for any product with digital elements placed on the EU market - incl
  2. Open source is key to Europe’s digital sovereignty Digital sovereignty isn’t about buying European software - it’s about control and choice. Open source and open standards give governments the ability to operate independently, avoid vendor lock-in, and switch providers when needed. That’s real sover
  3. Latest Signal and WhatsApp breaches show that consumer apps have no place in government On Monday the General Dutch ⁠Intelligence Agency (AIVD) and Dutch Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD) announced a sustained Russian-backed campaign targeting Signal and WhatsApp users. It follows a