blah3166

@blah3166@piefed.social

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨WhatsApp Deploys AI, for Those Incapable of Comprehending Straightforward Messages From Their Friends and Family⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago⁩:

  their servers are in the usa.

  Their "home office" is in the US. That doesn't necessarily mean they don't have servers distributed globally.

  So the usa government has the same level of access as compared to whatsapp?

  No, the US government does not have the same level of access to Signal as they do with Whatsapp. The only reason the US has so much access to Whatsapp is because Whatsapp only bothered to implement End-to-end encryption (E2EE). Unfortunately, in 2205, E2EE is the bare minimum. E2EE via the Signal protocol has been a "solved issue" since 2013 and Whatsapp implemented it 3 years later (great!) but they have not improved privacy since. Whatsapp still collects a metric-fuck-ton of metadata like:

  • Who you communicate with
  • When you communicate
  • How long your calls last
  • The frequency of communication
  • When you're "active" on the platform
  • Group memberships and group titles
  • Your profile information (this is E2EE on Signal)
  • Your contacts get uploaded in a way that's visible to Whatsapp. Signal does contact discovery in a privacy preserving way.

  Then they correlate this data with everything else they have about you to "fill in the gaps". Signal doesn't collect any metadata.

  It's non profit now, but so was openai...

  The difference here is there's nothing of value for Signal to "sell" since they don't collect metadata and have engineered it to work without being able to see anything. The Signal server and client are already open source, there's no "secret sauce". Lastly, because they collect zero data they can't even sell it for ad-serving purposes. Who would buy Signal?

  switching to another app is difficult, it's hard to get people ingrained in an ecosystem switch once let alone twice

  100% agree. The best way I've found is to drop the offending platform (whatsapp) and move to Signal. Let others know you accept text/SMS or Signal messages. Over the years the people on Signal (at least in my group) has steadily grown.

  I would like to close by saying that Signal is not shy about complying with the law, they will not go to prison for anyone's potential crimes. That said, they publish the data they provide when compelled by law and the only data they collect is the day + time you signed up with their service and the last day (not time) one of your clients pinged their servers, source: https://signal.org/bigbrother/

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨WhatsApp Deploys AI, for Those Incapable of Comprehending Straightforward Messages From Their Friends and Family⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago⁩:

  Here's a list of reasons why you should consider moving to Signal , if you haven't already:

  • End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) by Default : Signal uses the Signal Protocol, which is considered the gold standard for E2EE. This means that all your messages, calls (voice and video), and file sharing are encrypted on your device before they leave and can only be decrypted by the intended recipient's device. Not even Signal can read your communications. This is a crucial differentiator from many other apps (like Telegram, which doesn't encrypt all chats by default, or WhatsApp, which collects metadata).
  • Zero Data Collection (No Metadata) : Signal is designed to collect as little user data as possible. They don't store information about who you talk to, when you talk, your contacts, group memberships, or even your profile ID. This means even if subpoenaed, Signal has almost no user data to provide, in fact all they can provide is the date + time you registered with the service and the last day (not time) one of your clients pinged their servers. Other apps, including WhatsApp, collect significant metadata, which can reveal patterns about your communication even if the content is encrypted.
  • Open Source and Audited : Signal's code is completely open-source, allowing security experts and the public to inspect it for vulnerabilities and ensure its integrity. This transparency fosters trust and makes it highly resistant to hidden backdoors or malicious features.
  • Non-Profit Organization : Signal is run by the Signal Foundation, a non-profit organization funded by donations. This means there are no commercial interests, no ads, and no pressure to sell user data for revenue, unlike many commercially driven messaging apps.
  • Phone Number Privacy (Usernames) : While Signal historically required a phone number for registration, it now offers the option to communicate via usernames, allowing you to connect with people without revealing your phone number.
  • Relay Calls : For voice and video calls, you can opt to "relay" your calls through Signal's servers, which helps hide your IP address from the other party.
  • Standard Messaging Features: Signal offers all the core features you'd expect from a modern messaging app, including text messaging, group chats, voice and video calls (both individual and group), file sharing, and voice messages.
  • Cross-Platform Availability : Signal is available on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • User-Friendly Interface : Despite its strong focus on security, Signal maintains an intuitive experience, removing the barrier to entry for anyone who isn't technically inclined.