Recent intrusive changes in the privacy policy of WhatsApp (including the sharing of never before seen amounts of unencrypted user data with the parent company Facebook) have prompted a mass exodus of WhatsApp users to the secure and open-source alternative Signal. I have been hoping for a change like this for years. I wrote a non-technical blog post about the problems with WhatsApp in detail, comparing the advantages and disadvantages of other messaging apps as well.

https://output.ilonagabor.de/general/2021/01/11/Signal.html

  • DessalinesA
    17·
    4 years ago

    The pic @awa@lemmy.ml posted is the best here.

    Signal is yet another US / 5-eyes based service, so loses a lot of points for that, and mandatory phone numbers. Matrix or XMPP-based things are going to be much more secure, and harder targets for western intelligence agencies.

    • Bilb!
      41·
      4 years ago

      I really only use Signal as a drop-in replacement for SMS. It’s not something I use to communicate with people who don’t already have my phone number. Signal is a nonstarter for that sort of thing.

      Unfortunately everyone uses Discord for online communities now. Matrix? XMPP? Not even on the map.

    • SnowCode
      42·
      4 years ago

      I don’t completely agree with this. Matrix is semi-decentralized, almost everybody uses the matrix.org main instance, and hosting matrix is kind of a pain.

  • gaborOP
    12·
    4 years ago

    Guys, I use and love both XMPP and Matrix however I don’t see masses adopting them in fact I can’t even convince my immediate family to use them. People want reliable push notifications and cute stickers :-) I think Signal is a good compromise, I know it’s US based (I discuss this in the post) however it’s zero knowledge. The code is open source if there were vulnerabilities we would probably know by now…

    • nutomicA
      14·
      4 years ago

      The problem is that you as average user have no way to confirm that the app on your phone is actually compiled from the published source code. In that regard it would help if Signal was distributed through F-Droid, which compiles directly from source, but the Signal developers have explicitly forbidden that.

      • honk@feddit.de
        2·
        2 years ago

        You can totally build signal from source yourself or just use their verifiable builds.

  • onlooker
    61·
    4 years ago

    I’m not particularly keen on directing my friends to an app that needs their phone number, is based in the US and is neither decentralized nor distributed. If the age of Signal does come about, I will not be taking part.

  • Nonagon ∞ Orc@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 years ago

    Where I live whatsapp is very much the standard. I am unable to convince even my nerdiest friends to convert to signal. But I will keep hoping that at some point people around me will start caring about their privacy!

    • Lise@mastodon.social
      2·
      2 years ago

      @nonagonOrc @gabor I recognize this as well. But since I deleted Whatsapp, the urge of a quick reply was more important to them than just call; most downloaded it after a while when they found out I was serious about it😄

      • Nonagon ∞ Orc@lemmy.world
        1·
        2 years ago

        You are definitely right, it’s a matter of commitment. Maybe soon I will be willing to cause this mild frustration with my friends.