Who else is substituting WhatsApp?

I never used WhatsApp. Instead, I use Signal:

  • It is an independent messenger, unlike WhatsApp, which belongs to Facebook.
  • Signal is very privacy-focused; messages are encrypted.
  • You can have your messages and SMS in one place.
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Just for the record: For quite a while now, WhatsApp uses E2E encryption, too. Actually it uses the open protocols that Signal developed.

Fun fact: Signal can operate independently today because WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton donated $50 million to them (because he believes they are doing the right thing):

Signal >> Blog >> Signal Foundation

Since 2018, Acton is Executive Chairman of the Signal Foundation he co-founded with Moxie Marlinspike, CEO of Signal Messenger LLC.

“The Verge” has an in-depth piece about internal fighting over the direction of Signal today, long and interesting read:

Warning Signal: the messaging app’s new features are causing internal turmoil - The Verge

Best wishes,
Thomas

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Thanks for the link. Interesting read indeed, though in places it feels a tiny bit like a hit piece. For instance, it gives former Signal employee Gregg Bernstein the last word, “a former user researcher who left the organization this month over his concerns”:

“I think that’s a copout,” he said. “Nobody is saying to change Signal fundamentally. There are little things he could do to stop Signal from becoming a tool for tragic events, while still protecting the integrity of the product for the people who need it the most.”

Maybe I overlooked it, but the article does not seem to say what these “little things” could be. Nixing groups or encryption do not seem particularly “little” to me if that’s what’s being suggested.

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Plus: One always has to be careful weighing the statements of Ex-employees. They might have some unfinished business and a desire for revenge that is driving them rather than real concern for the things they are stating (and maybe misrepresenting).

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Not very independent of Brian Acton especially if I read the post you linked to. :roll_eyes:

Well, I’d rather trust a non-profit that depends in some ways on Brian Acton, than Facebook that depends in every way on Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook will do anything that profits them if they think they can get away with it, as they’ve demonstrated time and again. I don’t think Google is much better by the way (YouTube, looking at you…), but ditching their products is much more of a hassle unfortunately.

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DuckDuckGo is a good search engine. Their algotithm is most of the time better than google, in my experience.

GMail is ditchable -> ProtonMail
Or you rent your own eMail server, thats what I do.

Facebook -> Mastadon

YouTube -> NewPipe on Android and Invidious everywhere else (you still actually use youtube) or you switch to peer-tube altogether

Google scholar -> not ditchable, it is the best

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I am not so sure about the WA E2E. I know for sure that telegram decrypts messages on their server. Since we can not read WA server softwaresource code, we do not know what they do internally.

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Dear @andyflet,
in another topic @AnotherElk has created this nice summary of the different kind of Android systems

You should understand, that not all Android is infested by google, though strangely enough it is developed mainly by this company. E.g. the GrapheneOS project has contributed some security features to stock Android. You might want to check out the /e/ project because it has native support for your Fairphone. A match made in heaven. Other than that my suggestions would be, as mentioned above

I should add, for completeness sake the F-Droid store. Here you will find a bunch of free and open source software. Some of it is great but a lot of it is experimental, so watch out.

Many greetings
-Hendrik

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Update on WhatsApp data sharing, maybe the truth but nowhere near transparent and most people want to blind to the abuse and use of data, “it’s all to much”

WhatsApp says the data it shares with its parent company does not include messages, groups or call logs.

Instead, it says the new terms focus on changes to allow users to message businesses.

WhatsApp already shares information with Facebook, such as your IP address and information about your phone, as well as purchases made via the platform.

However this does not apply in Europe and the UK, where different privacy laws exist.

But privacy experts say the saga highlights how unaware users are of how their data is being used.

4 posts were split to a new topic: Have you heard of iodéOS?

For the moment, i keep using Whatsapp over PC-emulator (bluestacks). It’s no longer on my phone. Deleted facebook account aswell.
Using Signal, but intending to check Element, since it’s part of the fediverse.

Facebook and Whatsapp are only the tip of the Iceberg. The digital world is depending on a few companies. There has to be a change.

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I removed WhatsApp and switched completely to Signal. I think if you run it in an emulator as bridge for a real client you’re good to go. I got some people to at least install Signal to stay in touch, the rest can contact me via my wife’s Facebook/WhatsApp or good ol’ e-mail. Biggest usability issue was I got used to the green colour in WhatsApp. I really like it, actually.

Speaking of e-mail, a disadvantage of Signal is that it isn’t federated or cross-platform. But WhatsApp has that disadvantage + maaanyyyy other.

AOSP not, Android yes. The software you speak of are not Android; they are AOSP forks.

TG has no group E2EE (arguably, it becomes less useful the bigger a group gets). You can enable E2EE for PMs, but you need to enable it on a case by case scenario.

WhatsApp is written in Java which is very easy to disassemble.

For all people that want to change… the following project allows you to set an auto-reply message on your Android phone:

Looks like I may try Signal

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Yep I’d like to get colleagues and friends to move to Signal. I need to put in a bit of energy sending invites.

I researched hard which messenger protect really privacy. That was already a few years ago. The best compromise for me was Signal. I am using it until today. Unfortunately you must use your phonenumber. They want to change that this year. :smiley:
Threema is also an alternative for me. WhatsApp i never used.

I am glad to see that more and more people are willing to install (additional) alternatives.

I found a current summary on this topic (sorry, only in german):

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In 23 years this is the first app I have purchased, never having a Google account etc. via Threema’s website.

I decided to buy Treema as an alternative to Signal, so now I have WhatsApp, Signal and Threema. Just need to purge some friends and family from WhatsApp initially

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