cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/38798523

I don’t use apps like whatsapp or skype because they sell my data and don’t trust them.

I was hoping for a foss alternative to talk to my parents, regular folk who need something easy to set up on their android devices, ideally through fdroid.

I don’t want to reveal a real phone number because I don’t want ads from nobody.

I don’t need to see my parent’s faces, I just need to talk to them and maybe send files and lines of text.

        • bastion@feddit.nl
          1·
          2 days ago

          The universality or lack thereof don’t really matter to me as much as the accuracy and viability of an opinion.

          …but to the point…

          The OS has access to everything on the OS, and that means whoever made the OS does (technically) as well. That is true. But it does not make it pointless to use encryption. It means that you have a vulnerability, and anyone who is in the position to exercise that vulnerability can do so. …but:

          • anyone who is not in the position to exercise that vulnerability obviously can’t, but they could read plaintext by sniffing your connection - unless you use e2ee.
          • The ones who are in a position to exercise that vulnerability must either know you are a target of interest or create a massive monitoring program, monitor everyone, and find you via that method. Both of those circumstances have constraints, and while you are in a safe space due to those constraints, it’s still worthwhile to use e2ee, as that may keep you out of the areas where a bad actor’s affect on you is not constrained.

          Security is cat and mouse. If you’re actually caught up in that you the point where you are a real target or task potential target, get Graphene, and be mindful how you use it, or avoid smart phones altogether.

          If not - assume that you’re not on their radar until there’s a realistic indicator that you are. …and use best practices, like e2ee, wherever you can.

    • TwiddleTwaddle@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      9·
      3 days ago

      By not using an encrypted messenger, you’re opening your messages up to being read by many more intermediaries than Google. Google isnt the only adversary that could exploit your messaging data, and it would be a hell of a lot easier for them and any other tech/ad/data company to access your info if it isnt encrypted in transit.

    • BCsven@lemmy.ca
      9·
      3 days ago

      GrapheneOS with a pixel device, de googled. Google Play store can be left out or sand boxed in.

    • MangoPenguin@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      There’s no guarantee google will scrape and store encrypted messages, plus by not using an encrypted messenger you’re opening up your conversations to everyone else, not just potentially google.