Encryption is only a first step: there are others in order to control the devices we use daily. "Sovereign control" means answering yes to each of the following:

• Do you own the encryption keys — not the platform provider?
• Are backups protected end-to-end, by default, without manual configuration?
• Is metadata shielded from external observation, including communication patterns, timing, and participant identity?
• Do you control who can access message content, with no external request system that can override that?
• Do you govern which devices, users, and integrations can access sensitive channels?
• Can the platform be deployed on infrastructure you control, in jurisdictions that meet your data residency requirements?