Case study · Privacy & travel connectivity
Building privacy-first communication and travel-connectivity products
PanamaSea Studios builds “privacy-focused communication and travel connectivity, designed with fewer account requirements and less unnecessary data.” We're building it with them.
ShieldChats
In developmentEncrypted private messaging that does not require a phone number or email address to use.
PanamaSea eSIM
Launching soonTravel data connectivity accessed via an Order ID instead of traditional account creation.
Status as listed on panamaseastudios.com, 1 October 2026.
Privacy properties
- No phone number required
- No email required
- End-to-end encrypted
- No tracking
Project overview
PanamaSea Studios is building two products. ShieldChats is encrypted private messaging that works without a phone number or email address. PanamaSea eSIM gives travellers mobile data through an Order ID instead of an account.
Push to Commit is building both products and the marketing site: product design, engineering and launch preparation for ShieldChats, PanamaSea eSIM and panamaseastudios.com.
Project details
- ClientPanamaSea Studios
- ProductsShieldChats · PanamaSea eSIM
- ScopeProduct design, engineering and marketing site
- StagePre-launch
The challenge
Most messaging and travel-connectivity products ask for a phone number, an email or a persistent account just to get access. That concentrates identity data the company would rather not hold.
The goal was to make privacy the default rather than a setting: no phone number or email to anchor an identity in messaging, and no account at all to buy travel data.
The solution
We're designing and building both products and the marketing site with privacy as an architectural constraint. ShieldChats works without a phone number or email, PanamaSea eSIM gives access through an Order ID instead of an account, and the two systems stay separate so identities never link across services.
What makes it hard
- End-to-end encryption without a phone number or email as the identity anchor
- eSIM access tied to an Order ID instead of a user account
- Keeping the messaging and eSIM systems isolated from each other
- Automatic deletion of contact data after the retention period
Privacy properties, built in
What PanamaSea Studios states publicly across its products and site.
- ShieldChats
No phone number required
ShieldChats can be used without registering a phone number.
- ShieldChats
No email required
No email address is needed to start messaging.
- ShieldChats
End-to-end encrypted
Designed so the relay infrastructure itself cannot read message content.
- Website
No tracking
No advertising or behavioural tracking.
- eSIM
Order-ID access
eSIM access via an Order ID instead of account creation.
- Both
Encrypted in transit and at rest
Data is encrypted both while moving and while stored.
- Both
Identity-isolated systems
Messaging and eSIM run as separate systems, so identity is never linked across services.
- Website
Automatic deletion
Contact-form submissions are deleted after a stated retention period.
Source: panamaseastudios.com, 1 October 2026.
How we're building this
The phase plan for the engagement. Both products are still pre-launch.
Phase 01
Discovery & scoping
Requirements, data-minimisation goals and product boundaries.
Phase 02
Product & security design
User flows without phone or email identity, and the threat model.
Phase 03
Build
Messaging, Order-ID access and the marketing site.
Phase 04
Hardening & review
Encryption, data retention and system-isolation checks.
Phase 05
Launch
Release plan for both products.
Where things stand
Both products are pre-launch. Usage figures will be added once there is verified data to share.
Status as listed on panamaseastudios.com, 1 October 2026.
Related reading
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