Email is generally considered safe, with most providers requiring a username and password for login and offering basic levels of encryption.

There are many popular options such as Microsoft 365, Gmail/G Suite, ProtonMail, and others—each offering varying degrees of security and privacy features designed to help protect your data.

However, a major challenge with email is that your information is only as secure as the weakest link. Even if your practices are solid, you're still vulnerable if the recipient’s or sender’s data is not equally protected. If they’re compromised, your communication can be too.

In addition, email is still vulnerable to hacking, phishing attacks, and unwanted solicitations, all of which can put your privacy and data at risk.

That’s why the Connect Platform does not use email. All communication happens directly within the Connect App and only with verified Partners who have been thoroughly vetted by Sourcery. All messages and trade-related data are encrypted—both in transit and at rest—ensuring a much higher level of security and trust.

WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging app, is used by over two billion people worldwide—including countless farmers, traders, agents, and manufacturers—to communicate and conduct trade. It has become the de facto tool for sending offers, inquiries, and negotiating in the agri-commodity trade.

While WhatsApp does use end-to-end encryption to protect messages in transit, the real vulnerability lies in how data is stored. Messages and files are not encrypted at rest, meaning they can potentially be accessed if a device is compromised.

And let’s be honest—Meta (which also owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads), alongside companies like Google, built their empires by monetizing user data. Do you really think they’d pass up the opportunity to control and profit from data flowing through a $5 trillion global agri-commodity trade?

Sourcery Connect offers a more secure solution. All communication is encrypted both at rest and in transit, and only you can access the data in your account. Even we at Sourcery cannot access your information—and we will never sell your data without your explicit permission.

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Google Maps is used around the world for directions, avoiding traffic, and discovering new places—but when it comes to your personal data, no Google product is truly safe. Even Google openly admits how it uses your data. They know who you are, where you are, what you buy, sell, and even how you think.

In trade, your vendors, clients, farms, and factories are your business—but Google treats them like its business too.

That’s why the Connect Platform ‘Places’ feature takes a different approach. We use a proprietary static map that includes only a geocode, address, and topographical overlay—nothing more. When you add a location in Connect, it’s assigned a unique Bluenumber, giving your data the same blockchain-level protections you have as an individual. That means full control, privacy, and security over your farm, facility, or office information—without surveillance or third-party access.

Like Google Maps, Gmail, and other Alphabet-owned products, Google Drive is used by over 3 billion people worldwide—largely because its basic cloud storage is free. But as with all "free" Google products, there’s a trade-off: your data.

It’s well known and publicly documented that the files you store on Google Drive are not fully secure. Google retains access to your data, and that access is often used to support their advertising and data-mining operations.

When privacy matters—especially in trade—“free” can end up being very costly.

Video chat has become an essential tool around the world, enabling people to connect in ways that email, text, or even voice calls alone can’t—especially when it comes to building trading relationships and discussing commercial matters.

While Zoom has worked hard to improve its platform, it has faced well-documented security challenges. And like many communication tools, it may not be as secure as you think—especially when sensitive business conversations are involved.

That’s why Sourcery Connect includes a built-in Messages/Chat feature that supports text, voice, and video communication—all fully encrypted. Every conversation is protected with both in-transit and at-rest encryption, ensuring your trade discussions stay private, secure, and within your control.