this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2024
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A Modern Private Messenger (lazysoci.al)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al to c/askandroid@lemdro.id
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In light of what's happened to Durov and possibly seeing Telegram compromised, I'm doubling my efforts to find a new main messenger. Before you start, not Signal as it's a bad fit for the needs of me, my family and friends.

So what do I need?

  • The ability to run on multiple devices. Me, my family and friends all have multiple Android devices.
  • The ability to run on desktop. Linux and Windows.
  • Built in sticker repository. What can I say, I like to lazy flirt.
  • Animated Emoji. I like my messenger experience vibrant.
  • Material You. Again with the vibrancy, but also, it's a sign of modernity.
  • Phone number linking. My family and friends are lazy as hell.
  • Synchronized chats. I don't mind self hosting a bridge, but the ability to see messages on multiple devices is a must.
  • Voice Messages
  • Video Calls
  • Group Video Calls
  • Stories integrated into as first class citizens
  • Private. If you suggest WhatsApp, I'm assuming you're either stupid or a troll.

Can anyone recommend anything?

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[–] oftheair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The only thing that fits most of your needs is Signal, we have looked into this heavily and nothing has as many features, is as easy to use as and has a strong of focus on privacy and security as Signal, so it's either that or Whatsapp.

You can techically use signal on multiple devices, by linking them instead of setting them up as each their own 'host', if you want it on multiple phones or multiple android devices you'll likely have to use Molly, I believe this would work, but am unsure.

Matrix should not be considered because of this:

https://soatok.blog/2024/08/14/security-issues-in-matrixs-olm-library/

and Threema is pretty bad historically ( https://soatok.blog/2021/11/05/threema-three-strikes-youre-out/ ), even though they have improved in the last year or two, but their desktop offering is pretty awful, as unless you want to use the beta and use iOS then you have to keep your device attached to the network, on and open on Threema only.

Signal really is the only option here.

[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I definitely don't consider WhatsApp to be private, Signal doesn't support multiple Android devices and Threema sounds pretty useless. So it would seem there's no real options? Which is a shame.

[–] oftheair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Yup, all the 'more private' ones like SimpleX or Session don't have as many features and are have pretty suspicious funding sources (or involved in crypto).

WhatsApp might be private but there's no way to be 100% sure, since it's closed source and can leak some messages in reports which is intentional.

Yes and no about Signal supporting multiple Android devices, the Molly fork might be able to if you set it up as a linked device, and we know that apple tablets can be linked in the actual Signal app.

[–] sabreW4K3@lazysoci.al 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Given that SimpleX can be self-hosted, I'm definitely looking at that hopefully. Hopefully someone else develops an app, because cross platform apps are bullshit.

[–] oftheair@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sadly it won't meet and/all of your requirements, it is pretty barebones on features and doesn't really offer message syncing, you have to create a new account for every device, last we checked.

What do you mean cross platform apps are bullshit?

We don't think more and more messaging apps solves anything really, it just fractures userbases more and more. The best thing folks can do is use the apps that are the most likely for folks to use and work on improving them either by coding for them, or keeping on suggesting and voting for ideas until they get implimented.

Moving again and again to newest app of the week 562 won't make the situation any better, not to mention most of them probably haven't had security audits at all or very sparsely if they have, so their privacy and security can't really be verified.