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Signal Private Messenger vs. WhatsApp, Etc. Login/Join 
Member
posted Hide Post
I just installed Signal on my phone. It looks like a good replacement for the default text message (sms) app.

So if I'm communicating with someone else using Signal it's encrypted and private. The Signal app also isn't sending out info about me when I use it.
 
Posts: 2358 | Registered: October 24, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Told cops where to go for over 29 years…
Picture of 911Boss
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by saigonsmuggler:
I have been using both Signal and Telegram. Main issue I have with Signal is that it isn't available on tablets, only on phone for me...


I just installed Signal, it let me link my iPad to it. You scan a QR code on the tablet with your phone and it links.






What part of "...Shall not be infringed" don't you understand???


 
Posts: 10920 | Location: Western WA state for just a few more years... | Registered: February 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks for the heads up. My wife and I had whatsapp so we could video call since I don't have an iPhone, I will get us moved over to signal. No way I support that damn FB
 
Posts: 338 | Location: Twin Cities MN | Registered: April 21, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
Does Signal allow video chat by the way?


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of lkdr1989
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Yes.

quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Does Signal allow video chat by the way?




...let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one. Luke 22:35-36 NAV

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 NASV
 
Posts: 4330 | Location: Valley, Oregon | Registered: June 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I moved to Jamaica about a year and a half ago. Like most of the rest of the world WhatsApp dominates this island, but my coworkers use Signal.

Having used both when it comes to txt there is no difference between the two; however for voice and video calls it has been my experience that WhatsApp is far superior to Signal. Signal’s call quality is not near what WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Facebook offer.
 
Posts: 410 | Location: PA | Registered: November 20, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
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quote:
Originally posted by 1flynDO:
Signal works on what’s app. The Russians and Chinese have access to it. That is why the switch to signal.

That made absolutely zero sense.

WhatsApp uses Signal Private Messenger's code base for end-to-end encryption. That is the only relationship the two of them have.

I don't know about WhatsApp. Being Facebook "enhanced" code, anything's possible, but neither the Chinese nor the Russians have access to Signal Private Messenger traffic. It goes through not servers and is end-to-end encrypted. Plus it's open source software.

quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Does Signal allow video chat by the way?

Both video and audio-only, yes.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Back, and
to the left
Picture of 83v45magna
posted Hide Post
Reading through this I just installed Signal and will test it a few days and then put the wife on it.
Recent events have had me wondering if I should forge actual contacts with nearby SF members in case the forum is otherwise unavailable. Using Signal sounds like it would be a natural for emergency communication where cell service still exists.
 
Posts: 7232 | Location: Dallas | Registered: August 04, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Does Signal allow video chat by the way?

Both video and audio-only, yes.


quote:
Originally posted by lkdr1989:
Yes.



Very good. Thank you.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Cruising the
Highway to Hell
Picture of 95flhr
posted Hide Post
Been using Signal for over a year with no complaints.




“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.”
― Ronald Reagan

Retired old fart
 
Posts: 6476 | Location: Near the Beaverdam in VA | Registered: February 13, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
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quote:
Originally posted by 83v45magna:
Using Signal sounds like it would be a natural for emergency communication where cell service still exists.

Signal Private Messenger does not require cell service. It also works fine over a straight WiFi connection.

Cellular service is only needed during initial installation and setup, to receive a text message for identity verification. Even then: You should be ok using WiFi Calling, too.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Oh stewardess,
I speak jive.
Picture of 46and2
posted Hide Post
Been a Signal user for a few years now.

The rest are garbage and pathetically insecure.
 
Posts: 25613 | Registered: March 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Political Cynic
Picture of nhtagmember
posted Hide Post
just installed Signal

wondering if we should start a list of usernames for creating a contact list
 
Posts: 53086 | Location: Tucson Arizona | Registered: January 16, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Experienced Slacker
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A stupid question or two:

Since signal is available on Google Play for download how can I be certain it isn't the devil too?

Is there another location to download it from that doesn't have any association with big tech Kali?
 
Posts: 7486 | Registered: May 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ol' Jack always says...
what the hell.
posted Hide Post
Installed it.

Questions:

1. If it's tied to you phone number does that allow for some sort of tracking?

2. Would you use this even if you're on an iPhone you are texting other iPhone users?
 
Posts: 10186 | Location: PA | Registered: March 30, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by kx90:
Installed it.

Questions:

1. If it's tied to you phone number does that allow for some sort of tracking?

2. Would you use this even if you're on an iPhone you are texting other iPhone users?


Not sure what you mean by tracking. The app provides end to end encryption. Someone could probably figure out you are using signal but if the encryption mechanism is good then it’s good to go.

To communicate with another user of Signal they have to be registered. In other words, comms is from Signal app to Signal app. You can’t do Signal to iMessage for example.
 
Posts: 3953 | Location: UNK | Registered: October 04, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by apprentice:
A stupid question or two:

<broken record>There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.</broken record> Smile

quote:
Originally posted by apprentice:
Since signal is available on Google Play for download how can I be certain it isn't the devil too?

The publisher is Signal Foundation. So unless Google's screwed with the package as-delivered, it's Signal Foundation you're trusting.

One presumes that if Google started screwing with app packages as-delivered, particularly something like Signal Private Messenger, the fallout would be severe.

quote:
Originally posted by apprentice:
Is there another location to download it from that doesn't have any association with big tech Kali?

Not that I would trust. And you'd have to enable side-loading. Dangerous.

quote:
Originally posted by kx90:
Installed it.

Questions:

1. If it's tied to you phone number does that allow for some sort of tracking?

Theoretically. But by whom and for what purposes? Certainly appears Signal Foundation would have no interest in doing so.

Besides: Here we're comparing Signal Private Messenger (SPM) to iMessage, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. It's known they're collecting data. SPM apparently collects none.

quote:
Originally posted by kx90:
2. Would you use this even if you're on an iPhone you are texting other iPhone users?

Personal choice.

iMessage does a much better job of mirroring complete transcripts of messages between various linked iDevices. Conversely, SPM has better cross-platform support.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Jimineer:
quote:
Originally posted by kx90:
Installed it.

Questions:

1. If it's tied to you phone number does that allow for some sort of tracking?

2. Would you use this even if you're on an iPhone you are texting other iPhone users?


Not sure what you mean by tracking. The app provides end to end encryption. Someone could probably figure out you are using signal but if the encryption mechanism is good then it’s good to go.

To communicate with another user of Signal they have to be registered. In other words, comms is from Signal app to Signal app. You can’t do Signal to iMessage for example.


After a little more reading about Signal it appears that what distinguishes Signal from other secure messaging apps is that Signal maintains little to no metadata about a messaging transaction other than the time and to whom the communication was with.

One thing to keep in mind, if the person you are messaging with ever has their phone or computer compromised your secure messages can be obtained from the other parties device. So you have to be sure the other party has good security practices. If they don't delete messages from their device and LEA gets their device and password then your messages with them are compromised.

From what I have learned over the years is that while big gov and other nation states have the means to do "man in the middle" attacks and such, the easiest way for them and others to defeat any encrypted system (messages, files, hard drives, whatever) is by exploiting a users poor security practices. For example, I was talking to a friend about password protection and they said they put their passwords to all their accounts and websites into their contact list. Ugh.
 
Posts: 3953 | Location: UNK | Registered: October 04, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Do No Harm,
Do Know Harm
posted Hide Post
^^^Weren’t all of the Lisa Page and what’s his name Stozark or whatever’s messaging done on Signal?

I never remember hearing how their stuff got out.




Knowing what one is talking about is widely admired but not strictly required here.

Although sometimes distracting, there is often a certain entertainment value to this easy standard.
-JALLEN

"All I need is a WAR ON DRUGS reference and I got myself a police thread BINGO." -jljones
 
Posts: 11446 | Location: NC | Registered: August 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Political Cynic
Picture of nhtagmember
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Gab is loading very slowly - they must be absolutely hammered right now
 
Posts: 53086 | Location: Tucson Arizona | Registered: January 16, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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