What is the best text messaging app for privacy and usability?
2021-06-30 07:13:03 UTC
I'm aware Signal is pretty great option for privacy but there's 2 problems with it.
1 - It's centralized, and easily censorable
2 - It requires a phone number
I think these are solvable problems. What are some messaging platforms that are as good as Signal in terms of privacy and usability but are also decentralized and doesn't require a phone number?
Created1272d
1272dReplies
1
2021-07-02 10:32:17 UTC
<p>Matrix is decent (<a href="https://matrix.org" target="_blank">https://matrix.org/</a>)</p><p><br></p><p>It has clients for Android/iOS and the various flavors of Linux phone OS. The situation with E2E encryption support from clients, and cross-device signing, has improved dramatically in the last couple of years too.</p><p><br></p><p>It's open source, supports federation, and you can run your own server easily.</p><p><br></p><p>No phone number required.</p><p><br></p><p>It's not quite as user-friendly as Signal but it's getting there.</p><p><br></p><p>Another option is Telegram (<a href="https://www.telegram.org" target="_blank">https://www.telegram.org</a>). You don't have to share your phone number with people to communicate with them via Telegram, but it's not E2E by default and it relies on a central server. I've found more non-technical end users are willing to try Telegram than Matrix, however, and since I refuse to share my phone number with strangers it's an acceptable compromise for my personal standards (which are 'well, at least it's not Facebook').</p><p><br></p>
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