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While Signal messages might be e2e encrypted, people tend to forget that the platform collects phone numbers of its users, which can be used to identify people.

This makes Signal an effective metadata collection tool that resides on a central server in the US.

By cross-referencing these identities with data from other companies like Google or Meta, the government can create a comprehensive picture of people's connections and affiliations.

#signal #privacy

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@yogthos Just to play Devil's advocate:

What are the alternatives?

XMPP might be, but they haven't been able to get their shit together for a decade and a half regarding... well, everything. Jabber is in shambles, especially regarding E2EE:

soatok.blog/2024/08/04/against

Matrix just has awful protocol design that crumbles under its own weight. Don't believe me? Try visiting #matrix:matrix.org.

So... We're kinda screwed, aren't we.

Against XMPP+OMEMO
Dhole Moments · Against XMPP+OMEMO - Dhole Moments
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@drq @yogthos joining :matrix.org took 2 roughly seconds. Nothing special for the MUC of 62K people.

@krom Well, that explains it.

Try joining from another server. Preferably, from some server you don't particularly like. They don't call this room "a server killer" for nothing.

@yogthos

@yogthos @krom @drq don't believe everything you find in the internet about matrix, at least verify it.
Information on these sites is partly outdated, wrong or misrepresented.

Anyways, it's true Matrix servers usually store your (encrypted) messages with their meta data, and so does the Matrix server of your communication partner.

@kitkat @krom @drq what part of what the links say are you disputing specifically?

@yogthos @krom @drq nothing specifically, because I don't have the time to explain everything every time someone throws links to these known webpages on the internet.

Maybe I should set up one myself for that.

Regarding the last one, which is referenced front he second one, I would like to point to news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2 (discussion and statements from Matthew - today's CEO of element)

Linked comments document:
matrix.org/~matthew/Response_t

Addressing some of the real issues:
matrix.org/blog/2019/09/27/pri

Note everything is 5 years old, thus some of it might and probably is outdated again.

The first link is pretty accurate though

news.ycombinator.comNo, Riot/Mobile explicitly warns and prompts you to opt in if you try to discove... | Hacker News

@kitkat @krom @drq that's pretty vague and handwavy on your part

@yogthos @krom @drq

vague?
A bit, but I linked details, which give plenty information and context.
If you have questions that go beyond it and are more concrete than "just give me everything which is still valid today", I am happy to help you out.

Handwavy? How so?

@yogthos @drq What?! Bananza? Is it also funded by the CIA and FSB? Jeeez, no place to hide.

@krom @drq as far as I know matrix is mostly an EU thing, but yeah it's pretty hard to find anything that's genuinely secure