The #Signal backup workflow is simply awful.
https://blog.mathieui.net/signal-backup-sucks.html

I tried out the #ooni network tester app from #FDroid. I have good connectivity here in #Malaysia, both from a cellular SIM card connection, and the monastery wifi (a fiber internet connection).

But alas, the Ooni tests don't test for #XMPP, in their instant messaging apps testing! Only #Facebook, #Signal, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger are tested for, apparently. I do have trouble with XMPP, on the fiber internet here. Insidiously, brief XMPP text messages can be sent, but any video memo (say, 40MB in size, about 4 min worth of video) will only 1% upload, then get stuck. Attempts to resend will keep getting stuck. It seems that the XMPP traffic gets throttled to nothing after a small amount of data is sent: say, 400kb or so. I *can* send these video memos from my cellular SIM card connection.

I wish Ooni could have warned me about this, as it caused a friend to not receive a video memo for about 10 days, until I caught on to what was happening.

@signalapp As a supporter of #Signal, it is important to point out a key detail: Signal's own code is #OpenSource, but Signal uses multiple #proprietary libraries from #Google. Those cannot be scrutinized since the source code is not open. We believe Signal should offer an actual open source version, and are ready to help. This exists already in the fork https://fosstodon.org/@MollyIM Also, apps like #Element #Threema #Wire are #FOSS, and have #ReproducibleBuilds on @fdroidorg #FDroid

Die Messenger-Debatte ist kaputt 👇

https://www.kuketz-blog.de/die-messenger-debatte-ist-kaputt/

#messenger #signal #threema #matrix #xmpp #briar #whatsapp

Immer wieder kommt die Frage, ob Signal wegen seines Sitzes in den USA noch vertrauenswürdig ist. Ich finde: ja. Denn selbst wenn Behörden anklopfen – Signal kann keine Inhalte oder Metadaten herausgeben, weil es sie schlicht nicht hat. Wer das anders sieht oder ein anderes Bedrohungsmodell hat, soll eben einen anderen Messenger wählen.

#signal #messenger #metadata #metadaten #unplugtrump

@ts-new
There are tons of Matrix messengers, even there element a.d elementx, schildi, fluffychat, neochat and many many Servers.

Matrix is one of the few systems I know I can directly interact with desktop, videochat.

It is used by govs and military, so there is their need it remains save and secure.

#Signal #Briar #XMPP #matrix #element

@debacle @bitsoffreedom I usually ask, "If a single organization under US laws running essential communications for the entire world really sustainable?"

"Should every country depend on USA to communicate?"

#Signal #Federation #xmpp

I've been using #Flare on #LinuxMobile as my main #Signal client for a few weeks and can't recommend it to anyone looking for something just half-way stable.

It cannot act as a primary device and therefore not standalone. It continuously loses its connection to the servers. Sometimes it can't seem to open its database and defaults to re-linking without any error message. The UI likes to freeze.

It definitely shouldn't be mentioned as a potential replacement for Signal's Android/iOS clients.

"Your #privacy is our priority. With that message has #WhatsApp last week sent all its users a message" (translated from Dutch from an article in De Telegraaf, a large newspaper in the Netherlands)

There is too much gossip about WhatsApp according topman Will Cathcart.

"#Signal is very cool: the number of new subscriptions in the Netherlands is this year 25 times as high as before"

https://archive.is/a5upc

WhatsApp is closed source. Do you trust #Meta? Signal is #opensource.

#SignalApp

@janvlug #Signal is better than #WhatsApp, but still centralized. The entire world depending on a Single organization is not very sustainable. We have Quicksy and Prav both giving the same convenience of Signal without lock-in. #Quicksy and #Prav users can talk to each other and to any other #XMPP app.

To actually practice the freedom to improve a software, we should be able to self host the server part (not necessarily each person has to self host, but that option can offer real choice).

Finde den passenden Messenger: Unser Schnell-Check zu Sicherheit, Datenschutz und Bedienung zeigt, welche Messenger überzeugen und welche nicht. 👇

https://www.kuketz-blog.de/die-grosse-messenger-uebersicht-kompakt-kritisch-direkt/

#messenger #whatsapp #signal #threema #briar #xmpp #matrix #imessage #line #session #simplex #deltachat #telegram #teleguard #viber

"Trying to get rid of US services" also means looking for alternatives for #Signal. (I don't intend to dump it outright, but with Signal being my main messenger for the past years, I think I should at least _consider_ other options.)

Of these(!) options listed(!) in the poll, which one(s) would you recommend?

Please don't suggest others.

@scy They're all pretty bad. Threema has some major issues with their encryption protocol: https://infosec.exchange/@Fiona@blahaj.zone/114083506772906117

Delta Chat outright lacks forward secrecy, and also doesn't use post-quantum cryptography.

XMPP and IRC are a mess, and essentially unusable for less technical users.
When considering or recommending a messenger, always ask yourself: Would your grandma be able to use it? If she encountered some issue, would she be able to find someone, other than you, who could fix it? That unfortunately rules out a bunch of messengers.

I think best option is to use the @mollyim client for Signal. The second best choice would be @simplex

#signal #signalapp #molly #mollyim #simplex

Finde den passenden Messenger: Unser Schnell-Check zu Sicherheit, Datenschutz und Bedienung zeigt, welche Messenger überzeugen und welche nicht. 👇

https://www.kuketz-blog.de/die-grosse-messenger-uebersicht-kompakt-kritisch-direkt/

#messenger #whatsapp #signal #threema #briar #xmpp #matrix #imessage #line #session #simplex #deltachat #telegram #teleguard #viber

@waeiski the elephant in the room there, is that #Signal servers are said to be mostly on Amazon AWS.

Maybe they are thinking of an alternative like #Deltachat (with a posteo.net email address, or other such auto-encrypted email address not hosted on US soil)? This alternative exists right now, it's just that posteo.net addresses are not free to rent. Merely inexpensive. It's cross-platform: is said to be stable, even on #MacOS and #iOS or #iPadOS

@ljrk @chiraag @tortie @waeiski @Mer__edith I wish that the #EU would clarify its stance regarding #Signal: *is the AWS hosting problematic for them or not*? Let's assume *not OK* for a minute.

As to a Signal alternative, I *wish* I could recommend #XMPP over #Deltachat today. *AFAIK*, in XMPP, #OMEMO does perfect forward secrecy/double-ratcheting - but alas, the #iOS and #MacOS clients aren't the greatest at present. That lack of all common OS' having feature parity (very reliable notifications, Reactions, etc.) makes me hesitate in recommending XMPP for *everyone* today (but it's great for geeks).

Whereas Deltachat at least has usability parity for features across each OS it supports (which I feel users would highly expect *first*, before demanding a more modern encryption). Yes, autocrypt has no perfect forward secrecy, etc. and other metadata-related criticisms. But Deltachat is simple enough to learn, *allows servers to realistically be used in the desired country*, and works on all the common platforms. It's a decent choice for *today*, as a well-rounded choice (where tradeoffs must be made somewhere). And once the XMPP clients get better (in MacOS/iOS), I'll recommend XMPP as a goto *then*.

Angenommen es gäbe nur diese beiden Messenger, welchen würdet ihr bevorzugen?

#messenger #signal #threema #sicherheit #security

'Don't like Prav? You can port your account to another app in the Prav network, eg. Quicksy.'

This is not possible with apps like #WhatsApp, #Telegram or #Signal. You are at the mercy of your contacts to switch your messaging provider, even if you like another app.

In India, we can port our sim cards any time if we don't like our current provider or a competitor offers a better deal. #Prav and #Quicksy offers this portability. You can switch apps and still talk to your contacts. #xmpp

@ulrichkelber #Musk hat mich erst auf die Idee gebracht, für Wikipedia zu spenden. Wenn Musk #Signal auf X sperrt, dann muss Signal wohl ein empfehlenswerter Messenger sein. Persönlich bevorzuge ich allerdings #Briar für wirklich vertrauliche Mitteilungen.

If you're still recommending #Signal, you may have missed the tech oligarchs' takeover of the US government. The best time to recommend European alternatives was 8 years ago; the second best is now.

#Conversations_im #XMPP #Jabber

The world is full of contradictions.

In the past, I have struggled to convince Common Lisp programmers - who prefer CL because of its direct manipulation - about the importance of direct manipulation in document editing.

And now I struggle to convince #Fediverse users - who prefer the Fediverse because it is federated - that they should apply the same principles to chat, and move away from centralized chat platforms like #Signal to federated networks like #XMPP 🤷‍♀️

https://contrapunctus.codeberg.page/the-quick-and-easy-guide-to-xmpp.html

I've been using and promoting @signalapp from its very beginning, when it even had a different name.

"data #security #experts largely agree that Signal is the gold standard"

Do not support and trust #privacy disrespecting #BigTech by using their messaging apps. Ditch them and switch to Signal (or @matrix).

Stop making data grabbing companies rich and #powerful by using their apps. Don't be their product and resource.

Signal is easy to use!

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/09/tech/secure-chat-apps-signal-tor-browser/index.html

#Signal #opensource #FOSS

@eff @evacide @CNN I've quit advocating #Signal, once I learned about how most of the platforms which Signal runs on, collects (AI-driven) "Intelligence" - which can only provisionally be opted-out of, one informed user at a time.

For example: https://mas.to/@alexskunz/113982258324599047

#infosec #AI