this post was submitted on 13 May 2024
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Privacy

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Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

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[–] [email protected] 71 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I still stand with Signal App.

  • Telegram has no default E2EE.
  • Threema's encryption was compromised .
  • Threema & Telegram both are for profit companies.
  • Signal is non-profit & all their source code + finances are public. Even their server codes are publically available
[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Even their server codes are publicly available

Last I checked, their provided server code lags behind their production server, so you rarely get to see the current version. However, that's kinda the point of E2EE, is you don't have to trust the server.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

I gladly donate it month to Signal. Love my freedom of speech

[–] [email protected] 48 points 7 months ago (21 children)

I can't believe people are saying Telegram and Threema might be better than Signal. Signal isn't perfect but Telegram and Threema are worse.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Because we keep saying Signal, Telegram, Threema instead of Anti-Libre Software, Service as a Software Substitute and Centralised.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

It really depends on your use case. Most of my simple chat messages are the same as I would have in any public space. I have no need for encryption, I have need for convenience in that regard. With Telegram I have my chat history on all devices and don't need to use my phone to connect which are two must-haves for me. For my use case, Signal is the worse option. That doesn't make Signal bad, just not suitable for me.

As a privacy-concious person I am very much aware of the non-secure nature of my chats, but since that is not a factor of consideration to me when it comes to casual chats with a few friends and family members. The worst thing Telegram could do is analyse my chats and ... then what?

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Man, everyone is hopping on the Trash Signal Bandwagon, even though TG is less secure, and nobody (the 99%) uses Threema.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 7 months ago

Don't forget Threem encryption was broken. Threema is not free

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

It's called disinformation and psychological warfare. How else attack E2EE, libre software?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I'm wondering if something interesting will fall off the truck this time :D

Context: before that blogpost, cellebrite claimed they can "hack" signal (or they were kinda closer to the truth, and that was media talking abt hacks without reading stuff)

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (4 children)
  • Discord/WhatsApp
    • Anti-Libre Software (fails to include AGPL license file: bans us from removing malicious source code) 🚩🚩🚩
  • Telegram/Threema
    • Libre Software ✅
    • Service as a Software Substitute (app needs service and we are missing server software for it: broken app) 🚩🚩
  • Signal
    • Libre Software ✅
    • Self-Hosting (still needs service from us) ☑️
    • Centralised 🚩

~~Needs phone number~~ Centralised
~~Suspicious funding~~ Which lines of its libre software source code are malicious?

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 7 months ago

Signal is currently the best middleground between security, simplicity and widespread adoption.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (2 children)

how has no one discussed matrix here

[–] [email protected] 32 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Unable to decrypt message

Unable to decrypt message

Unable to decrypt message

Unable to decrypt message

Unable to decrypt message

Unable to decrypt message

...

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

That must mean it's working! :D

[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago (13 children)

I don't get it at all. There are plenty of platforms like matrix, xmpp, simplex that don't require phone numbers tied to your identity. Signal has somehow managed to convince people that it's a private platform, despite it being a US hosted service that requires phone numbers.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago (7 children)

It's a Google hosted service, which is arguably worse because they may as well be a nation-state unto themselves.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Wasn't Amazon involved here as well? It is another "nation-state".

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I do not think so, no. However, Amazon is certainly big enough to be un-humorously compared to nation-states as well.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

I remembered it as being AWS. Checked their blog, and the article about their spending mentions renting space in AWS and Azure too, indeed.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Who have they convinced that it is private? I think it has more to do with the overall purpose of the platform. Signal is not made for large group chatting with strangers like Matrix.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

both suck when it comes to real hardcore privacy! Signal is surely a bit more private/secure/whatever, unless maybe you count in the US jurisdiction.

if you want hardcore privacy and security, use SimpleX. it's cutting edge.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Also Tox, Briar, Session etc.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Nicely written article and a good read! However I had not heard of Threema before. It looks like a promising messaging app itself, anyone use it?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It's relatively popular in DACH countries.

I use it sometimes. It has its fair share of issues, and the back end is not open-source, but it is OK for the most part. Main benefit is that you don't need a mobile number to sign up.

But if you are looking for an alternative IM to use with friends and family, I would rather suggest XMPP, specifically Snikket.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

I am using it to communicate with 3 people (our common ground as I don't have an iPhone and don't use Whatsapp).

A few years ago it felt a bit ruff and awkward to use, but many updates later it is as fluent as any chat app.

The security feels ok. Of course it would be a lot better, if they would open source their code.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (4 children)
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[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I use Signal as my main daily messenger the two major problems in my opinion are:

  1. Centralized server (AWS)
  2. Requires a phone number to register
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