TendieMaster69Jul 3, 2023

YSK: Signal is a great secure private messenger app comparable to others on the market.

https://midwest.social/post/962303

YSK: Signal is a great secure private messenger app comparable to others on the market. - midwest.social

“When you use Signal, your data is stored in encrypted form on your devices. The only information that is stored on the Signal servers for each account is the phone number you registered with, the date and time you joined the service, and the date you last logged on.”

Show threadAftermath6187Jul 3, 2023
I still wish they hadn’t dropped sms on android. A few family members dropped signal as soon as they needed another app for messaging.
Show threadskulblaka

I still don't understand why they did that, I used to use Signal for everything and while it was clear that it couldn't encrypt basic SMS I could at least do all my messaging in one place. Now, I can't communicate with 80% of my contacts via Signal even if I wanted to, forcing two separate messaging apps.

Just let me send unsecured messages. It's fine. As it stands now I don't think I've even opened Signal in nearly six months even though I'd much rather use it than the default messenger.

Jul 3, 2023 at 5:22pmWeb
Show threadGingerKunJul 3, 2023

Basically, it makes the whole platform less secure because you could accidentally send a non-encrypted message at any time. With SMS-free Signal, at least mistaken sent messages are still E2E encrypted.

Is their goal to become the new de-facto messaging app? Or is their goal to become the most secure messaging app for whistle blowers, etc for whom a single mistake could mean losing their life or their freedom?

Show threadzalackJul 3, 2023

Have unsecured messages be opt-in and have a warning banner on non-encrypted messages. Maybe even a confirmation dialog.

That way people who want our need to be that paranoid can be, but the rest of us can have something a bit more convenient.

By disallowing SMS messaging they've just made it so a lot of people who were being secure when their contacts allowed, aren't being secure at all.

Show threadhemmesJul 3, 2023
Yeah, I’m basically in this boat. My OS is what brings my notifications together, and makes clear distinctions between the different apps I utilize. I don’t need one app to do everything. I use signal for sensitive business, having conversations about projects and sending credentials to coworkers. I use Teams for general work conversations. I use iMessage for nearly all other casual conversations - of those maybe 30% are SMS.
Show threaddeliriumJul 3, 2023
I only communicate with two people in signal. I still use it because I genuinely despise Android messenger.
Show threadptsdstillinmymind Jul 3, 2023
Cuz, it was about killing functionality in order to grow their market share. Just go listen to the new lame ass Signal CEO. It's capitalism that ruined Signal like it does everything
Show threadhemmesJul 3, 2023
What are you talking about? Where did they say that? How does capitalism ruin a non-profit organization? It makes absolute sense for them to have removed SMS. Here’s their statement about the removal: www.signal.org/blog/sms-removal-android/
Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

For many years, the Signal app on Android has supported sending and receiving plaintext SMS and MMS messages in addition to Signal messages. SMS and MMS are standardized communication protocols that allow mobile devices to send and transmit messages, and most people picking up their phone to text...

Signal Messenger
Show threadDynamoSunshirtSandalsJul 3, 2023
Sadly, I think they saw the writing on the wall with Google’s RCS push, and the decided lack of RCS APIs for Android apps to implement an RCS interface outside of Google. SMS has a lot of staying power, so it won’t happen overnight. But there’s a good chance that third-party RCS apps on Android will never be a real thing, or will forever end up hobbled. I think the Signal product folks imagined they had a LOT more clout than they actually had in the community. Sort of a less disastrous version of the Twitter and Reddit changes this year, trying to lock folks in.
Show threadHamSwagwichJul 3, 2023
The RCS issue hits the nail on the head I think. It's really the biggest stumbling block for everyone at this point.
Show threadRaknJul 4, 2023
Still fascinates me how many folks in the US use SMS. It’s been dead for over a decade now over here. I mean I would have expected it to stay with a lot of folks using feature phones. But that also not the case as far as I know.