Hi Everyone!
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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.
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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 - not sure if it is the best - but I have tried to get people migrated to Telegram in my circles
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@Armavica @sophiekaz very helpful link, thanks! Fwiw spouse and I use Telegram, and immediate household uses Discord. Tried Matrix for a time and when it worked it was good, but was difficult to keep working/stable.
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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?
+1 for Signal. It's almost certainly the most secure, and is going from strength to strength. Really quite reliable.
Doubtless I was lucky, but the 3-4 groups I needed to move were very happy to do so if someone else set it up.
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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.
@tsvenson
Thanks for the link, they include a few other useful comparisons too.
@Armavica @sophiekaz -
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?
Hi @sophiekaz
Look into #deltachat !!
https://delta.chat/en/download
Best option IMHO !!!! -
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 recommend you Delta Chat, it has a super easy onboarding! easier than WhatsApp, Signal etc. no phone number or anything required for registration, just set a name and go
it also has in-chat mini-apps and tools like shopping lists, collaborative notepads, mini-games etc.
it is decentralized, open source and it also empowers you with multi-homing (and easy migration of servers without losing your profile and chats)
it is ideal for family and friends
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From a prior poster on this feed. I found it useful and shared it with my friends...
@nickrauchen your poster is misleading, it says "join the fediverse" and then you recommend Signal, a centralized service, that is not federated in any way, please instead recommend something that is federated like #DeltaChat and/or #xmpp
