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YSK: Signal is a great secure private messenger app comparable to others on the market.
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this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2023
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The worst part of using Signal is to try and convince all your friends/family to use Signal. Otherwise it’s a pretty great messaging app. You can’t edit messages once they’re sent, but other than that it’s pretty great.
I used to donate to Signal, and they made the stupidest fucking decision I've ever seen.
You used to be able to use signal (at least on Android) as your default messenger app, sending encrypted Signals to other users, or SMS to non-signal users. Have a normie family member who doesn't know about computers? Easy, set it & forget it.
Now? They removed that functionality, so it only works for other signal users. Someone else had a good metaphor: imagine if http and https needed different web browsers & you couldn't see one on the other. How well do you think https uptake would have been?
So fucking stupid.
I think that might be a narrow view though. Most of the world likely doesn’t use SMS anymore (for probably a decade). So removing SMS didn’t make much of a difference there, but increased security. Especially when people are used to use multiple apps anyways.
So the better analogy would be “imagine if gopher and http needed separate browsers”. Except they do.
Wow, so I guess all the countries in the world that DO still use it primarily, including the US, most of Europe, canada, etc, can go screw themselves?
Nobody wins when you try to gatekeep security. Stop doing that.
German here. Nobody ever uses SMS, literally nobody. They are only used for 2fa.
I'm aware of few people who use SMS in Europe, and very few people who use it as their primary means of texting; I've even seen people outright ask that they not be sent SMSs. WhatsApp is almost ubiquitous, and it often feels like it's assumed everyone has it, even if they don't use it as their primary texting method.
It does seem very common in the US, however.
Yeah. That’s my experience as well. I will also ask people to stop sending me SMS. The last time that happens was probably over 10 years ago though. Everyone I ever met (except for US folks) uses messengers nowadays. I mean even a lot of US folks use iMessage instead of SMS. Even though that’s weird as well. Since I would expect folks to use some universal app that isn’t restricted to a specific phone brand.
50% of the US uses Android. All android phones can text each other & iPhones by default via SMS in the US. The United States is 300 million people, and also the literal home of the Signal Foundation.
You're right, that is a good analogy. Https used the same browser as http, and now https is widespread. Gopher needs a whole separate browser. It's niche. Good security only works if people actually use it.
The US is a weird place. Feels like such a modern country but then they use technology from the last century and no one seems to question that …
That has not been the case from what I've seen (I'm Australian). The only widespread methods of communication I see are SMS and iMessage. Things like Discord and Instagram are only used among younger people.
Edit: Actually people do use Facebook messenger. Don't know how many though
i miss SMS, makes it easy to sneak in a change. swap them to signal, where they do their SMS, and as people become signalified, then they start sending them signals. It was such a market creator for little cost.
Oh well.
50% of the US uses Android. All android phones can text each other & iPhones by default via SMS in the US. The United States is 300 million people, and also the literal home of the Signal Foundation.
You're right, that is a good analogy. Https used the same browser as http, and now https is widespread. Gopher needs a whole separate browser. It's nice. Good security only works if people actually use it.
Lmao WHAT? They seriously did this? Yeah say goodbye to having my boomer parents understand anything else other than what’s loaded on their shitty $50 android phone they got for free from their shitty CDMA provider…
I hear you, but, SMS is the farthest from secure you can get - so I can see why they chose not to support it.
A really secure messaging system is worthless if it's not used. SMS too insecure? Ok, change the UI to reflect that. Have an open lock symbol or eye. Notification reminders that it's insecure & nudge to invite your friend to Signal.
Boomer parents using Signal & now it doesn't support SMS? Congrats, now the app doesn't work to message the majority of their contacts. The average user isn't going to check if someone's on signal, send them an invite, then wait to message until they get the app. They'll just move to their (Android) default message app that literally works with all US phones. Congrats, now less signal users, gj .
A really secure messaging system is worthless if it's not used. SMS too insecure? Ok, change the UI to reflect that. Have an open lock symbol or eye. Notification reminders that it's insecure & nudge to invite your friend to Signal.
Boomer parents using Signal & now it doesn't support SMS? Congrats, now the app doesn't work to message the majority of their contacts. The average user isn't going to check if someone's on signal, send them an invite, then wait to message until they get the app. They'll just move to their (Android) default message app that literally works with all US phones. Congrats, now less signal users, gj .
But you CAN delete messages for after they are sent if the chat is set up that way. You can also set chats up so that messages can't deleted. Or so that all messages expire and disappear after a period of time.