I know it’s rarely popular to pitch new features while there are still bugs to squash and untapped potential in existing Proton services. However, given Proton’s recent momentum, the surging demand for privacy-centric European tech, and their aggressive hiring, I wanted to float the idea of "Proton Space."

Many organizations and public authorities are currently desperate to find Big Tech alternatives. One area where it is particularly difficult to find a viable replacement is in social and communicative channels, such as Microsoft Teams or Slack. You could also include Discord here, which is currently facing credibility issues regarding age verification. While some point to Telegram, it’s far from a watertight solution. The common denominator for these platforms is that they are closed-source, unencrypted by default, and fall under US jurisdiction.

As a journalist, I see this gap firsthand. My newsroom, like many others in the industry, relies on Slack for internal communication. While I wouldn’t say I feel inherently "unsafe" using it daily, using a proprietary, unencrypted platform under US jurisdiction and the CLOUD Act as a journalist is problematic. I think you get the point.

This is where I believe Proton has a great opportunity. By building a privacy-friendly platform that could replace Teams, Slack, and Discord in one go, Proton could cater to both organizations and private individuals. It would solidify Proton’s business suite and offer a seamless integration with Proton Mail and the upcoming Proton Meet. Furthermore, it could provide an exit ramp for those who only stay on platforms like Facebook for the "Groups" functionality. On a deeper level, such a tool would be invaluable for democratic movements operating under authoritarian regimes who need secure communication, sometimes via VPN.

I’m not the right person to dictate the technical architecture, but the Matrix protocol seems like a logical starting point to achieve the real-time flow that makes Slack and Discord so popular. To be clear: this shouldn't come at the expense of perfecting current services, but it would undoubtedly make it easier for many organizations to view Proton as a serious, all-in-one alternative.

I know not a lot of people are going to want Proton to shift focus, but this is most certainly an issue of global privacy concern. There are some alternatives like Matrix.org, but Proton is a well known company that would have everyday appeal. Matrix might be a bit intimidating for folks, but a Proton Spaces could be a lot more friendly and approachable to people who just want a "gaming sever" or a place to gather their friends to chat. I would most definitely love to see an official Proton Spaces product soon.