Two questions.
My family insist on using Whatsapp for the family chats. I have to keep a copy on a device just so I can communicate with them. I do so under protest, as I was always told it isn’t secure. My brother has just said
“oh Whatsapp is encrypted, it’s perfectly secure”.
First, is it actually as encrypted and safe as my brother claims? That would solve everything.
Second, if it isn’t, where can I get some proof that we should switch to Telegram or whatever? Proof which doesn’t make me look like a raving loony?
Whatsapp is encrypted. The problem is the Metadata they want - i.e. your whole address book.
I do not agree to Facebook having my phone number, but if you use WA and have my number, they have it, too - even if I don’t use WA myself.
If you can convince your family to switch, use Signal or Matrix.
Otherwise, use Shelter on your phone with a limited, WA-ony address book.
You can actually use it without giving it contacts permission, but you’ll have to add people via short links, like
wa.me/(number).Good to know, thanks.
Signal has a whole host of other problems from requiring a SIM card for an account (many places require a passport to get a SIM), to requiring an Android/iOS primary device (no Linux or KaiOS or phoneless life for you), & it’s still centralized metadata.
Matrix has defacto centralization issues around Matrix.org (they own the spec, largest server which syncs back all metadata, most popular clients) & the default clients/servers are still way too resource dependent for accessibly self-hosting for many (that’s starting to change finally).
You know what network is well decentralized, has low resources, & has more years of battle testing? XMPP + OMEMO for encryption. …And these are probably way the dark web tends to prefer it because it fits all the base requirements.