this post was submitted on 22 Jul 2023
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Privacy

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I am not comfortable that signal depends proprietary google library. However, I find that Molly lags significantly behind signal (around 1 to 2 weeks, so maybe not as significant as I thought), but I am just concerned that if there is a security fix in signal, molly will not be able to react as fast.

I am also quite frustrated with the general lack of communication from the signal team (for example the lack of communication regarding username). I doubt they will have the good will to help molly when there is a critical security fix.

It is frustrating that signal no longer seems like the gold standard for privacy any more; unfortunately, all my friends are on there (ironic, isn't it...).

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[–] hoodlem@hoodlem.me 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

And there’s an app which does this, too - it’s called Briar.

Cool I had not heard of this, thanks!

[–] nimbus5000@techhub.social 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@hoodlem

You can also do private groups, forums, and blogs on #Briar.

@SteleTrovilo

[–] hoodlem@hoodlem.me 1 points 1 year ago
[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you know about SimpleX?

@Nimbus @SteleTrovilo

[–] hoodlem@hoodlem.me 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@lengsel@latte.is not.coffee I did not, super interesting.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I gave up Briar for SimpleX, as really good as Briar is, because of only having one ID. On SimpleX, if you enable incognito, it will create a new random ID for each new contact that you message, so no 2 persons will see the same ID for you, they each see you as a different name.

Also SimpleX is on iOS and Android, Briar is only for Android, and SimpleX does calling with contacts.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

How do you backup SimpleX? Considering you changed your phone or factory reseted, can a normal person continue to contact their previous list? They don't have a problem with Signal since it uses the phone number. Can I convince my family / friends on SimpleX, as I barely managed it on Signal? Because SimpleX looks much nicer and I'd love to use it.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In SimpleX app settings, if you have already set a database passphrase, you can do a data backup or export to a file, when SimpleX is installed again, you import database.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I see, thanks for the reply. I guess this is still not so viable for tech-illiterate people, unless the devs find an optional and more streamlined process for this. I barely made people use Signal, they couldn't managed Matrix for example.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Let them stick with Molly/Signal, that will give them a lot of privacy, and nothing for them to figure out how to use.

Leave SimpleX for people more skilled to handle how to do configurations. SimpleX does have superior privacy over Signal, but mabe they can't do SimpleX. Take it in stages with what they can handle, don't jump to the end.

I'm not willing to Matrix and I don't recommend anyone use it if they wat privacy and anonymity. I'm content only using Molly and SimpleX with everybody I know and no other apps or messaging services.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I agree. Though I think 1v1 on Matrix is fine if encrypted prior, but I mostly use Matrix as tech news/forum. Federated services are not good for privacy anyway, they are not meant to be.

Currently I tell people to install Signal if they want to message me, I guess it would be a couple people for SimpleX. Most of my Signal list came when WhatsApp ToS made it to the news, some of them uninstalled Signal after a while but I'm okay with it. Well, I'm happy with Molly-FOSS for now. I would love to use SimpleX but it's something.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I wish Mastodon had encrypted DM's. I've been focusing on using Mostodon as my main place for media.

I can't find a Matrix client in F-Droid to use because when I turn off all of the anti-features, it seems Matrix is not an option to install something.

Have you not tried SimpleX yet? If not, I would suggest when the new release for 5.2 is in F-Droid you should install it. I could give you an invite link to message there but I don't want others on here using the link.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's a wanted feature I guess but I doubt if they will implement it.

Did you check FluffyChat? Not sure about all the anti-features though.

Well, I installed it some time ago but haven't really used it. Thanks for the offer but no need to expose your privacy here, even with incognito mode. I must try it with someone I know first anyway.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm registered with FluffyChat, it seems fine.

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just wondered by the way, what feature about Element you do not like?

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think my dislike comes from the hype about Matrix being federated so people think it's safe, the fact that a company owns the matrix protocol, seeing the various apos that have non-free dependencies, when I looked before it seemed alk personal Matrix history is permanent, it seemed to be a combination of not the freedom people think it is and no clear sense of what the purpose of matrix is for, but don't now that I had an account previously to validate all of that.

If you want, we could talk on matrix but we both post our ID's here publicly to make sure it matches who we message on there?

[–] muhyb@programming.dev 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I guess that's a common misconception with the federated services. Yes you can own your data if you join the federation with your own server, but once you write something on a community, it's federated and on other servers from that moment. This is the best way to keep forums intact as long as possible, so years later someone can check those and find whatever they searched for. Reddit was great as a forum however after the recent incidents people deleted their posts and unless someone recorded that page on web archive before you won't find anything when someone redirects you there. What people should know here, federated services are meant to be anonymous, not private.

Again, no need to expose anything here, and well, I'm not much of a talker anyway. :)

It's fine to talk here, as long as it isn't something personal.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] muhyb@programming.dev 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There is also a desktop app now? That's great. Thanks for the info. I'm looking forward to it.

[–] lengsel@latte.isnot.coffee 2 points 1 year ago

I'm planning to watch it and ask a question.