A consideration and alternative to whatsapp!!!

Discussion in 'Mobile and Portable' started by Yen, Mar 18, 2014.

  1. CHEF-KOCH

    CHEF-KOCH MDL Expert

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    #41 CHEF-KOCH, Apr 6, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2016
  2. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    MOSTLY common sense....... and trust, yes. :)

    So they almost have got you!
    If you would switch to them then whatsapp's idea to implement 'encryption' would have succeeded...bravo! :clap:
    Zombie mode on..lol

    IMHO the only reason to implement encryption is to get even more users=total monopoly…and not to 'protect' the current users.
    The users who used it before didn't care about encrycption otherwise they would have avoided to use it!


    What’s app has had its use….
    I had been one of the first using it…it was in late 2011….I deleted it because nobody used it that time…
    2012 I started to use it again….

    I have been using it until the day when Suckerberg had acquired it…..
    I had been on the way in Cambodia when I heard the news, I immediately uninstalled it.

    It was originally free, them paid, then free again.
    I know the history of whatsapp
    I know that it belongs to facebook (and the way they ‘respect’ privacy)
    I know that whatsapp claims for too many rights (for instance GPS location).
    I know that everybody’s address book/chats are stored on their server.
    I know that they analyze data and offer ‘potential’ customers….

    The contents are analyzed and if there is a high probability for the need of a particular ‘job’…then such people get advertisements via facebook….

    For instance if there is a fight in a chat, people can get advertisements from registered lawyers. Or by tracking GPS data one ‘visits’ suddenly another person (another woman???)

    I know that from a lawyer who is using such a service….he pays a service for searching potential customers and to advertise them….

    This is the reason why its value was ~18 billion or more. 18 billion!!! Where sould be such a high value but the contents themselves?!? Suckerberg is not stupid to pay 18 billion without to get even more in return..from where should it come? From encrypted (unreadable) data? loooolll

    The only advantage IMHO is that MITM attacks are not that easy anymore...
     
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  3. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    Hi CHEF-KOCH :hug2:

    I opened this thread as a consideration and alternative to what's app. I enjoy reading your posts and I respect your opinion as you respect my. :)
    I like to hear opinions form other people hence I opened the thread, the decisions what to use remains always a personal. And that is good that way (personal freedom).

    To me it's more an ideology than a decision made from technical facts. WA's encryption is probably as secure as threema's. I know how encryptions work and know it is a matter of probability only. One can say it is long enough safe, nobody can read it in time.
    And one can say one can use WA, highly probable nothing serious would ever happen...except some ads received somewhere...:D

    I did not delete whatsapp because it wasn't encrypted. I deleted it because I can. :biggrin: (I have found threema).

    The 'Ideology'..
    Monopolies are harmful to our society because they accumulate capital and create dependencies.
    18 billion can you even imagine this number?
    It is a US monopoly and we know Snowden's disclosures.
    WA has become an addiction to most. People cannot go because they would lose their contacts there. Anything goes through one US company, regardless of the name.

    I had the same problem..some people moved with me to threema, some stayed at WA..some use both for the sake of communication. I opposed myself of the WA addiction. People left get SMS, no problem.
    This is my idea of freedom. The same I did with windows using Mint as main OS.

    One always belongs to a minority when opposing a major trend.:)

    Yen :hug2:
     
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  4. VDev

    VDev MDL Member

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    I use Telegram and Hike Messenger on WP.
     
  5. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

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    #46 R29k, Jul 4, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
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  6. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    Does he look a wee bit stoopid or what? (Thinking he's very smart... :p ) :rolleyes: :D
     
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  7. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

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  8. CHEF-KOCH

    CHEF-KOCH MDL Expert

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    Self-destruction msg are pretty useless in case your device is infected with an keylogger or if it submit stuff in real-time back to and C&c server. The thing is that most protocols and messages have an unique signature (similar like an fingerprint) which makes it 'more of less' easy to backtrack you or reveal with an algo what you might have typed. OTR address such thing because it not have digital signatures, it exist since years, but as mentioned the latest Whatsapp version is now even more secure because it addresses already known weaknesses of OTR and other protocols.

    The problem isn't the protocol itself anymore, the problems remains still that a) whatsapp can use your data officially for commercial reasons like ads/marketing and probably sell it to others (the thing is you agreed in that -> TOS). b) there exist more easier way to bypass everything, simply fake QR codes or send fake messages to others, people are still naive to believe that. c) if the entire OS is infected with other malware the best encryption not helps and this is not only with Whatsapp, it's an general problem, drive-by is still an huge problem, starting with opening unknown email attachments and and and.

    Personally besides that they possible use and analyse your traffic for marketing reasons I not say it's general bad messenger. If they would provide more transparency and opt-in features it would help, but as long it's not solved it's simply not what (I want).
     
  9. R29k

    R29k MDL GLaDOS

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    Something is better than nothing so it's a start.
     
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  10. WinFree

    WinFree MDL Senior Member

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    Does Threema support voice and video calls? What do you think about Threema vs Signal?
     
  11. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    Unfortunately Threema does not support voice and video calls (yet). Threema can send recorded voice messages via plugin, though.
    The reasons why I had chosen Threema:

    full end-to-end encryption with true random key generation (how is whatsapp doing it?!?)
    no storage of (encrypted) messages after delivery
    Guaranteed Privacy and advanced security features such as hide particular chats/unlock them via fingerprint
    independent Swiss company no cooperation with other social services like facebook and the like
    paid app, no money making with selling user (meta)data
    great support and fast bug fixes
    intuitive handling / wide spread at friends

    I rather pass on some features than on privacy. I always wonder how a free messenger works concerning financing...:g::)
     
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  12. ancestor(v)

    ancestor(v) Admin
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  13. crashnburn

    crashnburn MDL Addicted

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    I think they were already doing it. Whenever I'd add someone new on my Whatsapp, in a few days that persons Profile will show as PERSON YOU MAY KNOW on FB.

    Are the not doing this already?
     
  14. WinFree

    WinFree MDL Senior Member

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    #55 WinFree, Aug 29, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2016
    I would love to use their app but I need voice call and desktop app. Are they planning to add voice and video anytime soon? What about desktop app? Signal support voice call and they have a beta plugin for chrome for desktop use. Have you used it? What do you think about Signal overall?
     
  15. ancestor(v)

    ancestor(v) Admin
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  16. CHEF-KOCH

    CHEF-KOCH MDL Expert

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  17. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    "[FONT=&quot]Threema uses Google Cloud Messaging, hence requires[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]GApps (unless [/FONT][FONT=&quot]you want to continuously poll for new messages)... That's before I get onto my aversion to [/FONT]paying for stuff. "

    True?
     
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  18. Yen

    Yen Admin
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    It's a general problem. Apps that require notification service about incoming messages rely on google push service.
    The privacy concept of threema is reasonable and remains that even when using google push service because threema has no payload via push.

    Even for no-Gapps purists threema offers an alternative...(to buy the app on their site and to disable GCM)

    And paying for stuff..well I rather pay a defined amount of money one time than I pay with losing my privacy step by step.
    Threema has their own servers and they cost money to run/maintain...
     
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