Session on Tails: Because WhatsApp Belongs to the Surveillance Gods

Tutorials & Methods
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:world_map: One-Line Flow:
Tails + Session = private chatting for paranoid geniuses, minus the crash meltdowns.

:brain: What This Is

A quick guide on how to install and use Session — a fully private chat app — inside Tails OS, the live system built for anonymity and privacy freaks who actually know what they’re doing.

:gear: What It Does

  • Lets you chat without phone numbers, emails, or creepy trackers.
  • Routes everything through Tor, keeping your IP hidden.
  • Fixes the annoying Tails freeze bug when you close Session.
  • Keeps your setup persistent so it doesn’t vanish when you reboot.

:eyes: Who This Is For

  • People using Tails OS who want secure, off-grid messaging.
  • Journalists, researchers, or anyone allergic to surveillance.
  • Regular folks who just want private chats without selling their soul to Meta.

:puzzle_piece: Install & Setup (The Simple Way)

  1. Download Session from the official site.

  2. Move it into your Persistent folder so it stays after reboot.

  3. Right-click → Properties → tick Allow executing file as program.

  4. Open Terminal and run:

    torify /home/amnesia/Persistent/session-desktop-linux-x86_64-1.14.4.AppImage

  5. Save your recovery phrase safely — KeePass is ideal (not your screenshots folder, genius).

:skull: Common Bug: The “Tails Freeze” Curse

Session throws tantrums when you close it. Here’s how to shut it down without dragging Tails into hell:

  1. Open System Monitor.
  2. Type session in the search bar.
  3. Find the second “session-desktop” process.
  4. Click End Process — repeat if it still won’t die.

Boom. No crash, no reboot, no swearing (well, maybe a little).

:speech_balloon: Final Thought:
Privacy tools shouldn’t feel like punishment.
Session on Tails gives you real anonymity — just follow the steps, avoid the freeze, and enjoy ghosting the entire internet.

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