What price privacy? End-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging app Signal has put out an interesting overview of the costs required to develop and maintain its End-to-end encrypted messaging app Signal has put out an interesting overview of the costs required to develop and maintain its pro-privacy systems.
Same. I’ve been supporting it for some years now, but I’m upping the ante. I have many friends, family, and business associates I’ve been able to get on Signal. It’s a super useful app, and a crucial privacy service. Let’s do what we can to keep it going.
Umm, doesn’t one have to backup anything one wants to save/ have access to in the future? Aren’t upgrades a thing will all software? I’m not sure how this is different for Signal versus any other messaging app. Or any app / client that produces documents, etc?
The process is a bit involved on mobile. Setting up a backup location, using a third party app to sync updates and deletions etc. It could be simplified by integrating with common cloud storage services (the encrypted file)
Also iOS doesn’t have backups at all last I checked. If you lose your phone the messages are toast
Well sure, but encrypted backups are still secure. What’s not secure (or private rather) is someone realizing they can’t have a backup of important chats and going back to Facebook Messenger.
Backups are a thing on Android, and they’re planned for iOS. It just hasn’t happened yet. People can choose what they want to backup and when they want disappearing messages turned on.
Actually it does not, sadly. I’ve used it for years (probably five or even more) and ditched it couple months ago when I got angry at it. The main problem is I could not force it to accept MMS on newer android (used to work on my old phone IIRC) which is crucial for my work - because voice mail gets delivered as MMS in my country. Every time I got work phone call that I missed meant voice mail that never got delivered. I got notification that I have MMS, and that I need to allow them, but that’s it. Everything was allowed in the app and in the systsm, still no MMS.
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This Lemmy post caused me to start a monthly Signal donation. Support non profit messaging and social media.
Still a bit angry though about them dropping SMS support and forcing me into Google Messages.
They were kinda forced to, having to choose between two evils: https://community.signalusers.org/t/signal-blog-removing-sms-support-from-signal-android-very-soon/47954/57
I hadn’t seen that, thanks!! I was also among those confused when Signal pulled SMS, but now it finally makes sense.
Signal could have done better PR to explain the “why” at the time.
Use Molly instead. There are 2 versions, one FOSS one and one with some proprietary data (notification stuff).
Same. I’ve been supporting it for some years now, but I’m upping the ante. I have many friends, family, and business associates I’ve been able to get on Signal. It’s a super useful app, and a crucial privacy service. Let’s do what we can to keep it going.
The biggest thing for me right now is backups
I can’t comfortably recommend it to people that will lose access if they lose their phones / upgrade without following the process perfectly
Umm, doesn’t one have to backup anything one wants to save/ have access to in the future? Aren’t upgrades a thing will all software? I’m not sure how this is different for Signal versus any other messaging app. Or any app / client that produces documents, etc?
The process is a bit involved on mobile. Setting up a backup location, using a third party app to sync updates and deletions etc. It could be simplified by integrating with common cloud storage services (the encrypted file)
Also iOS doesn’t have backups at all last I checked. If you lose your phone the messages are toast
I just checked the Signal Support (https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007059752-Backup-and-Restore-Messages). And it appears there is a method generally, but not for iOS. Tho’ screenshots work. And I understand how not backing up, and disappearing messages contribute to security.
Well sure, but encrypted backups are still secure. What’s not secure (or private rather) is someone realizing they can’t have a backup of important chats and going back to Facebook Messenger.
Backups are a thing on Android, and they’re planned for iOS. It just hasn’t happened yet. People can choose what they want to backup and when they want disappearing messages turned on.
Pretty sure Fdroid has a basic messaging app or two that might fit the bill so you don’t have to use google.
https://community.signalusers.org/t/signal-blog-removing-sms-support-from-signal-android-very-soon/47954/57
Apparently there’s no RCS API so any 3rd party app will disappear at some point (if RCS becomes the popular protocol)
That’s frustrating. Here’s to hoping someone will come up with a FOSS solution.
Google Message? Why? QKSMS work well
Actually it does not, sadly. I’ve used it for years (probably five or even more) and ditched it couple months ago when I got angry at it. The main problem is I could not force it to accept MMS on newer android (used to work on my old phone IIRC) which is crucial for my work - because voice mail gets delivered as MMS in my country. Every time I got work phone call that I missed meant voice mail that never got delivered. I got notification that I have MMS, and that I need to allow them, but that’s it. Everything was allowed in the app and in the systsm, still no MMS.