Proposal: "Proton Shield" – A "Safety-First" Tier for Non-Technical Users
Description: I was recently scammed — and I'm someone who takes security seriously.
For years I've helped local people recover from hacks and scams. I've seen victims lose their savings, their pensions, and worst of all, their self-confidence. They clicked a link, gave out some information — things we all do every day with legitimate organisations. They couldn't tell the difference, and honestly, neither can most people anymore.
Right now, users face an impossible choice: use Big Tech services that offer convenience but almost no protection, or switch to tools like Proton that are powerful but too complex for non-technical people. Millions fall through this gap — unprotected, confused, and increasingly afraid.
What's needed is software where safety is baked in and the complexity is invisible. Automatic aliases for every contact. Real-time scam detection. A simplified interface where sending an email is just... pressing "Send." No setup, no configuration, no expertise required.
I'm proposing "Proton Shield" — a new tier that prioritises active safety over pure privacy, with full transparency about that trade-off. Proton is the only company trusted enough to make this credible.
This proposal was co-developed with Lumo. The full version includes market analysis, technical feasibility, and competitive positioning. The reason for suggesting this is "The Everyday User Test: Would this work for anyone — whether they're 25 or 75, tech-savvy or not? If not, it's not safe enough." People across all age groups are victims of internet crime but, older people are losing out the most financially.
Geekbabe
shared this idea
Sorry that you were scammed, but there isn't enough in this feature suggestion to actually be able to develop anything.
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!SUPERCOMMIERAINBOWPERSON!
commented
Just to understand what's being presented; even though the idea has already been rejected, I am inclined to inquire to some potential discrepancies mentioned. Please note: I do not do this with any sense of jest, contempt, or mockery. I am merely going to ask in order to both increase my understandings along with potentially help clear up any issues so that the idea can be made more clear and detailed or find an already present solution for the issue without creating redundancies unnecessarily.
Would not the concept of contact aliases just be a form of encryption in itself?
If people are already having struggles navigating general email apps, how would you propose they would be able to find this option or even have the idea to know that it is available?
What within Proton concedes as too complex for the standard user?
What about situations in which forwarding or individual replies within mass emails are required?
No setup? As in no user information input? Does this include registry to even have a Proton account?
Also, how exactly would this prevent scams?
Outside of active phishing guards and continuously updated registries with known scam/fraud credentials; how would it be proposed that this extra scrutiny would be applied without a potential complete invasion of privacy by Proton into the constituents email and content?
How would Proton protect itself in the event of an issue in which information is leaked due to this feature being present and active? (This could also cause mass social issue as the potential of this would leave Proton vulnerable as well to being seen as something completely opposing it's entire mission statement).
How would prevention of scammers from using this simplified format be implemented?
The GUI of Proton is not much dissimilar (in intuitive value) to majority of other email clients.
The issue seems to be less about having the client manage extra responsibilities on the user's behalf and perhaps some idea to help teach people how to generally use email clients; emphasis with Proton as the preferred client.