What is Matrix and Element
We use the Matrix messaging system for communication between members – whether they are working on projects, coordinating events, or just staying in touch with the wider community. We also run Digital Privacy Coaching rooms on Matrix, where people can ask questions, share experiences, and get help improving their online privacy.
To make Matrix easy to use, we recommend the Element app as the main way to access it.
This post explains what Matrix and Element are, using familiar tools like email and WhatsApp as comparison points.
Email, Matrix, and the Apps You Use to Access Them
Most of us are used to:
Matrix fits into this landscape as another messaging system, and Element is one of the apps you use to access it.
A useful way to think about it:
Just as you can choose your email app but still email anyone else, you can choose your Matrix app (we recommend Element) and still talk to people using other Matrix apps.
Email: The Familiar Baseline
Email is one of the oldest internet messaging systems. Nearly everyone has an email address, and we use it for:
The key idea:
That shared standard is what makes email interoperable – it doesn’t matter if you use Gmail and someone else uses Outlook; you can still contact each other.
Matrix: A Modern Messaging Network
Matrix is similar in spirit to email, but designed for modern, real‑time communication.
Matrix supports:
Where email is primarily designed around an inbox and messages that don’t need instant replies, Matrix is designed for:
For DFA, Matrix is also attractive because it offers:
Element: Our Recommended App for Matrix
If Matrix is the network, Element is the app we recommend you use to access it.
You install Element (on your phone or computer), log in to your DFA account or server, and from there you can:
There are other Matrix apps out there, but DFA recommends Element because it is relatively user‑friendly, supports key features well, and has a strong focus on privacy and security.
Side‑by‑Side: Email vs Matrix
Here’s a simple comparison you can drop straight into the blog:
|
Feature / Idea |
|
Matrix |
|---|---|---|
|
What it is |
One of the oldest internet messaging systems |
A modern, open messaging network |
|
Main use |
Messages that don’t need instant replies; more “letter‑like” |
Real‑time chat, group rooms, communities, calls |
|
How you use it |
Through apps like Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, ProtonMail |
Through apps like Element (and other Matrix clients) |
|
Group chats |
Possible but clumsy (reply‑all, mailing lists, long threads) |
Built‑in rooms and channels designed for group conversation |
|
Real‑time chat |
Not really; you check your inbox when you feel like it |
Designed for instant messages and ongoing chat |
|
Sharing photos/videos |
Attached to emails |
Shared inline in the conversation, like chat apps |
|
Voice/video calls |
Usually separate tools (Zoom, Teams, etc.) |
Many Matrix apps, including Element, support calls directly |
|
Privacy and security |
Varies by provider; often processed by big companies |
Strong privacy focus; can be end‑to‑end encrypted |
|
Who controls it |
Large providers handle and store your email |
Open protocol; different organisations (including DFA) can run servers |
Side‑by‑Side: WhatsApp vs Matrix (Using Element)
Since many people know WhatsApp, this comparison helps to position Matrix:
|
Feature / Idea |
|
Matrix (using Element) |
|---|---|---|
|
Who controls it |
Meta (Facebook) |
Open network; no single owner |
|
Account tied to |
Your phone number |
An account (e.g. @username:server), not locked to a phone number |
|
Which app you can use |
Only the official WhatsApp app |
Many apps; DFA recommends Element |
|
Works across apps and providers |
No – closed ecosystem |
Yes – different apps and servers can communicate if they speak Matrix |
|
Group chats and communities |
Yes, within WhatsApp |
Yes, including rooms and larger community spaces |
|
Encryption |
End‑to‑end encryption inside a proprietary system |
End‑to‑end encryption using an open standard |
|
Who holds the data |
WhatsApp / Meta |
The organisation running the Matrix server (e.g. DFA’s chosen provider or its own server) |
For DFA, Matrix offers the best of both worlds: the immediacy of a chat app like WhatsApp, but with the openness and interoperability of something more like email.
How DFA Uses Matrix and Element
Within DFA, Matrix and Element are used for:
Element gives members a single app they can install on their phone or computer to access all of this.