Hi Everyone!
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@adrinux thank you - that's a really valuable distinction. Will look into it further.
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@mkj thank you for this, and especially for the link about Matrix. I'd been considering it as an option so it's really valuable to hear about the issues. Lots to read up on before I commit to anything!
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
From a prior poster on this feed. I found it useful and shared it with my friends...
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@sophiekaz Hi! I use Signal, but it is an uphill struggle to get family members etc. on board.
@twoowls73 @sophiekaz
I've gotten my family members to switch, as well as a couple friends. They still use WhatsApp but at least they use Signal to chat with me so it's a start. -
@mkj thank you for this, and especially for the link about Matrix. I'd been considering it as an option so it's really valuable to hear about the issues. Lots to read up on before I commit to anything!
@sophiekaz You don't have to commit to only one or the other; though if given the choice, I strongly advocate using Signal over any alternative currently. There are some valid criticisms of Signal (reliance on a centralized service, for example), but on the whole, there are good reasons why places ranging from both the EU commission and parliament to the Swedish defense forces and US CISA either recommend or outright instruct people to use specifically Signal. And its cryptography is top-notch.
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz you will have better chances with signal for your close relationships. That's the best compromise of user experience and safety.
@delta has more and more traction, and does not require a phone number so great for children.
Matrix is more for online communities, think like slack or discord.
Install all for months first, remove the useless ones after. Do your tests
My goto reference is @privacyguides
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@sophiekaz Hi! I use Signal, but it is an uphill struggle to get family members etc. on board.
@twoowls73 @sophiekaz Here in Canada, shortly after January 21st last year, when Trump was inaugurated and all talk was 51at state, 20 people in my friends and family network agreed in one day to immediately drop WhatsApp and move to Signal. It's not that hard.
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Yes, Signal is US based - but a Nonprofit 501c3 Foundation. That makes a lot of difference compared to a For-profit company. I think this https://signal.org/workworkwork/ page gives a good summary of what it stand for, and have the track record to show it.
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@sophiekaz You don't have to commit to only one or the other; though if given the choice, I strongly advocate using Signal over any alternative currently. There are some valid criticisms of Signal (reliance on a centralized service, for example), but on the whole, there are good reasons why places ranging from both the EU commission and parliament to the Swedish defense forces and US CISA either recommend or outright instruct people to use specifically Signal. And its cryptography is top-notch.
Great overview. Just want to add that Signal is #OpenSource an their #SignalProtocol (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Protocol) is used by quite a few other messaging apps. Including Whatsapp and Google.
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@twoowls73 thank you! I thought convincing everyone to switch would be the biggest drawback, but honestly I'm starting to see it as part of the mission. One conversation at a time
As long as the "network effect" and convenience dominate, it will be a challenge to get family and friends to even install a better choice while still having their current. I see the challenge as marathon, not a sprint.
The biggest hurdle is for many to connect the negative consequences - in particular surveillance profiling - resulting from those business models.
Personally I focus on using for real things with those who do try. Found that is the most rewarding for all.
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz I am only familiar with Signal, but it is thoroughly modern and is secure as it gets
. And Meredith Whittaker - the president of the Signal Foundation - represents the vanguard of ethical tech 
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz I would second @Delta and @arcanechat, my experience is these have been so easy to use and based on email, which is a great use of long standing technology we're all familiar with.
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@jeridansky @sophiekaz Also worth mentioning https://delta.chat which is decentralized.
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz Apple Messages where possible; Signal where necessary. Signal is very good. There are no other options on the table here; WhatsApp, WeChat are a hard no-go from me.
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz I've gotten quite a few of my friends to use Signal now. Family is an uphill battle. I got sister and mother to use Telegram to communicate with me a few years back (they still use whatsapp for all of their friends and colleagues
) and now I feel bad for being a "well actually" guy to make them use Signal instead 
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz Signal for general connections to friends. DeltaChat to ad hoc groups if not all is on Signal. DeltaChat is ultra simpel and easy onboarding. I'm s great fan of DeltaChat.
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Hi Everyone!
First, a huge thank you for the incredibly warm welcome to the Fediverse. The kindness from this community has been overwhelming, and such a contrast to the platforms I've left behind.
Now, I've gone down a total rabbit hole investigating more ethical tech. I've just realised that if I'm deleting Meta from my life, WhatsApp should probably go too. I'd love to know what you think are the best alternatives. Signal? Matrix/Element?
@sophiekaz
signal, threema -
@sophiekaz Hi! I use Signal, but it is an uphill struggle to get family members etc. on board.
@twoowls73 @sophiekaz I agree! I tried to get my brother and his family to leave FB messenger but his response is "it's pretty integrated into Taiwain society" (he lives in Taiwan) so it's a non starter sadly.
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@twoowls73 thank you! I thought convincing everyone to switch would be the biggest drawback, but honestly I'm starting to see it as part of the mission. One conversation at a time
One family or friends gathering at a time: get whole groups to change on the spot, then continue using the Signal group for everything so that it becomes the main channel.
