Signal is just a messaging app, and worst of all to a ton of people you have to share your phone number, something that is kinda intimate and you might only share it among the closer people in your friend group, even when signal launches usernames unless it builds something around signal it’s just another annoying messaging app to keep track of.
There’s an app called Session that is similar to Signal without the phone number requirement but then you have the issue of moving people to an even more niche platform
There’s also threema which is pretty tried and tested and quite popular where I live (and also not connected to weird crypto schemes) but it of course has the same issue.
I love SimpleX because you can have multiple users and you can use 1-time invite codes so you don’t actually have to give anyone an identifier of any kind if you don’t want to.
I’ve tried to use session to talk to a couple family members but I just don’t get notifications, so I just use signal. (no I’m not on slow mode, I just use microG)
For some reason the session network (oxen network) now blocks my Hetzner VPS connection (I use for VPN). Have been a session user for around 2 years now and now I have to reconsider Signal.
I haven’t seen enough evidence to say it’s a scam. It uses Oxen to incentive users to host nodes. Why would that be anymore of a scam than any other crypto currency?
While Tor and Lokinet are both onion routers, they are very different at both the protocol and infrastructure levels.
Tor relies on a network of volunteer-operated relays and a set of central directory authorities, and this infrastructure introduces a number of weaknesses and limitations. Because Tor’s circuit moderation is bandwidth-weighted, you are much more likely to use high-bandwidth nodes than low-bandwidth ones, meaning that a large percentage of Tor’s 7000+ nodes are underutilised due to having insufficient bandwidth. Additionally, Tor relies on a limited set of directory authorities. When these directory authorities are compromised or suffer from technical issues, the stability of the entire Tor network suffers because the network is unable to agree on what the node set is or the roles of nodes in the network (whether they were guard nodes, exit nodes, relays, etc.).
Instead of relying on volunteers, Lokinet leverages the Oxen Service Node Network. Because Oxen’s service node operators are required to provide high-quality nodes — and are actively incentivised to do so — Lokinet’s relay network is consistent and reliable. Lokinet also inherits the market-based Sybil attack resistance of the Oxen blockchain, increasing Lokinet’s security against such attacks.
Instead of Tor’s system of central directory authorities, Lokinet stores the state of the service node network on the blockchain. Every service node has access to this list, and comes to a consensus on it, making Lokinet significantly more decentralised than Tor.
Lokinet is also more versatile than Tor — Tor operates on the transport layer and is only able to carry TCP traffic, while Lokinet operates on the network layer, meaning it can onion-route any IP-based protocol: TCP, UDP, ICMP, etc. This means Lokinet can be used for much more than just web browsing — it can also handle things like media streaming and video conferencing.
Security and avoidance of anti-features != anonymity. If you wanted that you would have to use something like GNU Jami which has account archives and is peer to peer.
I’m just grateful that the phone number requirement means less of a hassle for others.
Signal is just a messaging app, and worst of all to a ton of people you have to share your phone number, something that is kinda intimate and you might only share it among the closer people in your friend group, even when signal launches usernames unless it builds something around signal it’s just another annoying messaging app to keep track of.
There’s an app called Session that is similar to Signal without the phone number requirement but then you have the issue of moving people to an even more niche platform
There’s also threema which is pretty tried and tested and quite popular where I live (and also not connected to weird crypto schemes) but it of course has the same issue.
I’m using SimpleX chat, which works great, and no phone number. It’s niche too
I love SimpleX because you can have multiple users and you can use 1-time invite codes so you don’t actually have to give anyone an identifier of any kind if you don’t want to.
Do you have any issues getting notifications?
I do occasionally, but my friends don’t, I think it is my phone because a reboot fixes it.
ETA: ‘occasionally’ about every 1-2 months
I’ve tried to use session to talk to a couple family members but I just don’t get notifications, so I just use signal. (no I’m not on slow mode, I just use microG)
For some reason the session network (oxen network) now blocks my Hetzner VPS connection (I use for VPN). Have been a session user for around 2 years now and now I have to reconsider Signal.
If only there was some messaging app that basically every college age student already has installed. That would be convenient.
I’m not sure if you meant that sarcastically but besides Instagram I really haven’t come across one
@CorrodedCranium @skymtf Session runs on a platform of NIH-Bitcoin and NIH-Tor. It’s an encrypted messenger and also a crypto scam.
I haven’t seen enough evidence to say it’s a scam. It uses Oxen to incentive users to host nodes. Why would that be anymore of a scam than any other crypto currency?
Cryptocurrency in general is a scam.
I’m not someone who blindly hypes up Bitcoin or other currencies but why do you say that? They seem useful in a broad set of applications
As far as I can see, the only application of cryptocurrency is to facilitate crime: money laundering, ransom, paying for contraband, etc.
I mean I’ve used it to donate to charities
Is there a reason you didn’t use your credit or debit card?
@CorrodedCranium All cryptocurrency stuff is a scam. Why wouldn’t it just use Tor which already exists?
This from the Lokinet website
@CorrodedCranium Yeah it’s just Tor + blockchain, for marketing and exitscam purposes.
Tor is pretty trusted for security. Lokinet isn’t.
Seems pretty elaborate for a non-profit that has been delcaring their annual allocation of funds for years.
Lokinet is still experimental and hasn’t undergone a third party security audit to my knowledge in the same way their app Session has.
@CorrodedCranium Do you have any idea how many crypto scams have been declaring their annual allocation of funds for years?
Lol, lmao even
What great security
Same shit with Telegram and how you literally can’t use it without a phone. You have to use your phone to log in on desktop, even. Just lollll
Security and avoidance of anti-features != anonymity. If you wanted that you would have to use something like GNU Jami which has account archives and is peer to peer.
I’m just grateful that the phone number requirement means less of a hassle for others.
you’re just saying a bunch of words at me that mean literally nothing if you think it being tied to your phone + phone number = good
Good for what?
Having an app, the entire point of which is encrypted communication, tied to your fucking phone number is fucking stupid
Is there another app you’d suggest instead? Signal seems to work well for OP’s use case.
You don’t have to share your phone number with people to use telegram with them though.
So the obvious better privacy option is… Instagram?
I think you can try to create the group with end to end encryption