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.

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.

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

Does Signal allow video chat by the way?

Yes.

quote:

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Been using Signal for over a year with no complaints.

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.

Been a Signal user for a few years now.

The rest are garbage and pathetically insecure.

just installed Signal

wondering if we should start a list of usernames for creating a contact list

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?

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?

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.

quote:

Originally posted by apprentice:
A stupid question or two:

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

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.

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.

^^^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.

Gab is loading very slowly - they must be absolutely hammered right now