Hello, I’ve been in the free software cult for about a year now, and yet, I feel more lost than ever.
I have pretty much switched to all free software other than Whatsapp, which I only use to contact family and people that ignorantly don’t care.
I’m having troubles finding a mobile alternative to Signal, which I can talk to people with, but everything I’ve found is only available on computers.
I use my phone for communication, chess, searches, and navigation, so I’m tied to a device that actively spies on me, and unlike normies, I can’t ignore it.
Solution for all would simply be to just let them go, but I’m already in a shit-hole socially, so that’d just make things worse.
I’m still using a 5 year old lenovo thinkbook I got as a present, and I have plans of replacing it with something I can put GNU boot and use a functioning system with parabola on like a Lenovo Thinkpad T400, T500, X200, and X200T. However, I do mechatronics, so I’m going to have serious issues with CAD, compiling, and ethical machine learning, which I have to do for most projects. Even with a lightweight suckless dwm setup, it’s going to suck at everything.
That’s not even considering the security risks, which are especially bad considering I do activism on topics that are outright banned in countries that I live in / visit.
Have you experienced such a phase? I would really appreciate your advice on getting past this roadblock and finding a device to switch to both mobile and desktop for better privacy.
Edit: user asudox infromed me that matrix was available on mobile, so now I’m using a client called fluffy chat available on both andriod, IOS, web, and GNU+Linux systems which is great.
OK, so based on what you’ve posted here I think you might have a lot of misconceptions about what works and what doesn’t and what’s “good” and what isn’t. It’s not even clear what you mean by “Free.” I assume this means FOSS, but it’s hard to tell.
Edit: Speaking of Signal - it is FOSS, it’s the equipment that the network uses that isn’t because someone has to take care of it. That’s how every FOSS project works. You can, if you like, fork your own version of Signal if there’s something about you don’t like. But the thing about E2EE is that once the message leaves your device, it’s encrypted, so worrying about server location isn’t worth it. Otherwise go see what ISIS or Russia uses and go use that. Remember how they all used Telegram, which wasn’t secure at all and the EU is about to try and pass a law making Signal and other E2EE positions illegal because they can’t see the messages?
This is a much larger conversation, but I would expect that you’re placing far too much emphasis on big-picture labels and geography without understanding where nuance exists that might make something worth using. So you’re possibly trying to balance very unbalanced notions.
I think you have a misconception of free software. Refer to fsf.org.I might “seem to be putting much emphasis on big-picture labels and geography without understanding where nuance exists that might make something worth using…”, but I think you’re over complicating simple disagreements. I would address my concerns about signal, but I already have addressed them, and it seems me and you disagree on what we see as acceptable, so it would be meaningless.
No misconceptions - it’s a word that has more than one meaning, especially in this context. That’s why I said I was unsure which version you meant. I’m not attacking you or doubting you, there’s just not enough information here. Not just about what you mean, but also to ensure you have fundamentals reasonably covered to the point where worrying about where Signal’s servers are should be a sticking point for you.
Free as in no money needed to install? Free as in freedom from proprietary software? Free as in free from specific geographic snooping? Free from centralization under a single entity? When the start and end of FOSS are “Free” and “Software,” I am free as well to see 2 words next to each other and understand there’s ambiguity left to sort out and just ask what you mean. Seems like you mean all of those things - correct me if that’s not accurate.
I’m also not having a disagreement with you, at least not that I’m aware of. I’m trying to get you to take a step back and see if your concerns really bare themselves out, and if the balance you note in the title is actually a search for balance at all. Your post title is about balancing convenience and privacy, but the point of the post is to just ask “What is an E2EE messaging app that doesn’t touch any equipment in the US?” Which is an entirely different question.
Also, there’s no balance if you have a “spyware phone” and find some unicorn app that uses quantum entanglement to send the messages if your keyboard on that spyware phone is giving up what you’re typing anyway. Which is a very real possibility and I’m not seeing indication or not that you’re using non-default keyboards. Or even what phone you’re using as we might say “spyware” but what and how deep Apple and Google track users are fairly different. Balance can’t be found if a vulnerability undoes all your security improvements. If I have a rootkit on my laptop, virus scans of incoming PDFs doesn’t undo the rootkit, right?
Also, if you’re on Android do you have Whatapp sandboxed in a separate profile? If not, then you’re already giving up enough that Signal’s servers are the least of your concerns. Anything that you do where that’s a concern shouldn’t be done on your phone in the first place. Your device isn’t trustworthy enough, and changing one app isn’t going to fix that. And that’s OK - my phone does things I can’t change and so I have to ultimately just know that it’s rated for no conversation more sensitive than what’s for dinner and what time do we meet for someone’s birthday. It’s something I just have to accept.
Look, you’re asking for help and I’m trying to provide some based on partial information. So you can either help us all in this community with information to help you, or not and come away frustrated and angry with no results.