nader
@hszakher @asem_alaa @gharbeia I remember around Sep 2014 then-Facebook started a global initiative to provide free-of-charge mobile internet targeting many 3rd word countries. One of them was Egypt and the initiative operated here roughly for a year before abruptly halting operations. I used it on my daily commute back then.
The catch was that you could only use about 10 services..(1)
Aug 14, 2024 at 1:14pmWeb
Show threadnaderAug 14, 2024
@hszakher @asem_alaa @gharbeia
I remember using FB, WhatsApp, WikiHow. The initiative was branded as "aid" to developing countries, in retrospect now I see it as aggressive expansion and market research plot. In this period I started noticing FB & WhatApp buttons all over private companies' websites as the suggested contact method, few months later I started seeing flyers and banners IRL encouraging citizens to contact various govt services via FB & WhatsApp..(2)
Show threadnaderAug 14, 2024
@hszakher @asem_alaa @gharbeia I saw a banner for a direct WhatsApp line to governor's office! directorates and even official syndicates. Mind you I was living in the Delta. maybe in Cairo it started even earlier. Social media was a huge part of the zeitgeist. Every org and public institution started hiring social media teams and/or outsourcing to PR agencies. Despite that only 20% of Egyptians were online, they were more important audience to marketers & PR
Apologies for spamming your mention🌹
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 14, 2024
@nader @hszakher @gharbeia also WhatsApp is the only channel now to get your tagneed travel permission. The amount of governmental sensitive info being transferred through WA (incl military personnel doing it casually and officially on massive scale) is so alarming. The Egyptian mindset normally should get alarmed when WA is compromised by IDF. That is why it should be an easy and safe job by independent media and NGOs to lead the campaign of migrating from WA.
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 14, 2024
@nader @hszakher @gharbeia if an outlet like Madamasr does an investigative report about it they can provoke mainstream media discussions about it. 
I sent them my concerns about this issue directly after the Lavender report, but I guess they are not picking up the potentiality of this job. Maybe we need more people to communicate our concerns to such outlets.
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024

@asem_alaa @nader @hszakher
I don't know if Madamasr can influence main stream-media on anything, or if there are media outside of the army stream at all, other than the couple of outlets we know. They are also censored.

But speaking of research, there's @Masaar, who specialise in this domain (cc @Moeltaher )

Show threadAsem AlaaAug 14, 2024
@gharbeia @nader @hszakher @Masaar @Moeltaher thank you for the references. Madamasr is true isolated from MSM, but sometimes things can go unpredictably. The very least you will have an arabic article you can share with wider connections inside Egypt.
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024
@asem_alaa @nader @hszakher
Perhaps I can nudge Hamama. He used to be interested in this aspect of technology.
Show threadmhamamaAug 15, 2024
@gharbeia @asem_alaa @nader @hszakher I am still interested and would like to hear more
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 15, 2024
@mhamama @gharbeia @nader @hszakher happy to be part of any research
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 15, 2024
@mhamama @gharbeia @nader @hszakher
and thanks @gharbeia for inviting @mhamama to this thread.
Added email in bio if this goes forward and I can help in any capacity. I don’t consider myself expert in security. I just have worries abt WA monopolising comms:
1. I don’t trust WA safety claims, and Meta as a whole. Their backend is not opensource, without which you can’t verify their claims.
(1/3)
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 15, 2024

@mhamama @gharbeia @nader @hszakher
Even if we assume good intentions of Meta, and they are not compromising with governments, then you have the metadata problem

These two blogs by @alshafei are enlightening

https://simplex.chat/blog/20240416-dangers-of-metadata-in-messengers.html
https://simplex.chat/blog/20240404-why-i-joined-simplex-chat-esraa-al-shafei.html

2. WA monopoly in government operations and private businesses make them vulnerable to single point failure.

(2/3)

The dangers of metadata in messengers

Show threadAsem AlaaAug 15, 2024
@mhamama @gharbeia @nader @hszakher
3. this monopoly is weaponised by IDF against people in Gaza (let’s assume it is only metadata hacking), and so we should be concerned, let alone retaliating as people against Meta for their complicity as a whole (e.g. via boycotts and migration). If we assume it is only a metadata hacking, then they still bear responsibility for not calling out ISR and promptly fix their app and cut operations in ISR.
(3/3)
Show threadAsem AlaaSep 19, 2024
@mhamama @gharbeia @nader @hszakher
sorry to bugger your notifications. I am bringing it again to the attention in the context of digital sovereignty after the pagers attacks and this precedent from Brazil:
https://mastodon.online/@parismarx/113154169521287878
Paris Marx (@[email protected])

Attached: 2 images Brazil’s fight against Twitter/X and Elon Musk is a “pivotal front” for those “seeking to build a democratic and people-centred digital landscape, focusing on social and economic development.” I was happy to sign this letter backing Brazil and the fight for digital sovereignty: https://tinyurl.com/yar7ab6r #tech #digitalsovereignty #brazil #twitter #socialmedia

Mastodon
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024
@asem_alaa @nader @hszakher
WHAT!
I didn't know this exists.
But objectively speaking, such permissions are not secret. The problem is that we don't know what else they use it for, even though WhatsApp message content should be as secure as Signal's. After all, Lavender was about metadata. But I don't know whether anyone actually verifies the binaries.
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 14, 2024
@gharbeia @nader @hszakher yeah they do require an Egyptian WA. After payment you should send your national ID using your registered number to receive the travel permission. I tried to send it from a different number, this is in 2023, I get this.
WA is theoritically secure unless an upper hand ask them to disclose info, becuase I understand they are keeping the private keys on their servers, unlike Signal. Correct me if I am wrong.
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024
@asem_alaa @nader @hszakher It's end-to-end encrypted using the double-rachet protocol which they licensed from Signal ca. 2015.
If it were not, then there would be no point at all in calling it "secure". Only e2ee is secure.
Show threadMostafa Hussein OmarAug 14, 2024
@asem_alaa @nader @hszakher @gharbeia wow! Also the amount of medical information being sent between labs, patients and doctors. There is no escape from this as WhatsApp is the default messaging. I had to make WA delete automatically any conversation older than 3 months to minimise sensitive patient data.
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024
@moftasa @asem_alaa @nader @hszakher actually, what prompted my post was a medical lab asking for my "Whats" to send me the results.
They seemed to have it integrated in their workflow and systems.
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024
@moftasa @asem_alaa @nader @hszakher
They looked mildly surprised, when I replied that I don't use WhatsApp. After all, I seem to be a good-mannered, educated, middle-class man, an effendi, right? So what's wrong with me!
😆
Show threadAsem AlaaAug 14, 2024
@gharbeia @moftasa @nader @hszakher 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Show threadGharbeia, ⒶAug 14, 2024
@nader @hszakher @asem_alaa I remember what stopped the deal is that Egypt.gov was expecting access to the traffic.
Before that, there was even a debate whether zero-rating Wikipedia would be a good thing, given its usefulness and non-profitness.