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Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

signal.org

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Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#61

Post by rvz »

Great for security on Android.

> The most important reason for us to remove SMS support from Android is that plaintext SMS messages are inherently insecure. They leak sensitive metadata and place your data in the hands of telecommunications companies. With privacy and security at the heart of what we do, letting a deeply insecure messaging protocol have a place in the Signal interface is inconsistent with our values and with what people expect when they open Signal.

They do have a point though. SMS is insecure, unencrypted and leaks highly sensitive metadata anyway and it needed to go from Signal. You already have the system SMS app for this to use.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#62

Post by neogodless »

johntrain wrote: post #9

Can anyone recommend a good SMS Android app?

Personally like TextraSMS. Has a free ad-supported version, but I paid to remove ads when it was on sale several years ago (maybe $1).

4.4 stars. I believe it's $3 or $5 to remove ads now.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.textra

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#63

Post by monetus »

fyvhbhn wrote: post #36
chungy wrote: post #4

I completely disagree and am disappointed in this decision. One app on my phone to handle all my messages is easier than making a context switch per-contact. I also think it'll hurt the value proposition when getting people to join signal. Not overcomplicating the messaging scenario was a big winner to do that.

You couldn't have one messenger for all contacts before, except you forced everyone to either signal or sms

Signal could SMS anyone in your regular contacts app; the fallback option in tfa is what doesn't force people. Now, it will.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#64

Post by roter »

_jsnk wrote: post #34

I'm very upset by this decision. I've been using Signal as my SMS app for a very long time. Messages that I would have sent via SMS currently will automatically get sent via Signal if the person I'm sending to has started using Signal without my knowledge. This has happened in several instances where I was pleasantly surprised to see a friend had started using Signal. Now that I'm forced into a separate SMS app, this…

This. Now you have to remember who is in Signal and who isn't. All because apparently the double-check mark for messages between Signal users and the unlocked icon for SMS messages is too hard to comprehend. SMH.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#66

Post by dodgerdan »

SMS and security are simply incompatible. And either you fall into one of two groups 1. You know sms is insecure and this is a insecure method of communication 2. You think sms sent via signal is secure because it’s a “secure messenger”. It’s clear that HN users will fall into group 1, but the vast majority of people would fall into group 2. So for me this is an overall security win.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#67

Post by fyvhbhn »

NoGravitas wrote: post #40

> If you do use Signal as your default SMS app on Android, you will need to select a new default SMS app on your phone. If you want to keep them, you’ll also need to export your SMS messages from Signal into that new app. This messaging seems a little tone-deaf, given that there is no way to export SMS messages from Signal . Apparently it's possible, using a third-party piece of software, to decrypt your backups and…

One more reason: signal still allows for easier discovery of other users, because it forces phone number sharing

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#68

Post by dymk »

eatwater123 wrote: post #10

This is an awful decision. I've converted some friends and family to Signal over the past years (it took a while) and it is now their default messaging app on their phones. This is going to confuse them and is going to make it difficult for me to keep convincing them that Signal is the route to use. ("Why do I need 3 apps (Android Messages, Signal, Whatsapp) to talk to people?")

I dunno, all my friends use at least a handful of messaging apps (iMessage, FB messenger, Discord, Telegram, SMS). Sure people grumble about a new messaging app but the younger generation seems to not have an issue adopting new things.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#69

Post by dane-pgp »

fyvhbhn wrote: post #44
eatwater123 wrote: post #10

This is an awful decision. I've converted some friends and family to Signal over the past years (it took a while) and it is now their default messaging app on their phones. This is going to confuse them and is going to make it difficult for me to keep convincing them that Signal is the route to use. ("Why do I need 3 apps (Android Messages, Signal, Whatsapp) to talk to people?")

> Why do I need 3 apps (Android Messages, Signal, Whatsapp) to talk to people? Because Whatsapp and Signal are walled gardens. (Everyone knows why IM>sms)

> Whatsapp and Signal are walled gardens.

Until next year?

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220701IP...

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#70

Post by mitchellpkt »

This seems to be a "bug or feature" situation where the answer depends on the user profile. The ability for messages to leave the Signal app in plaintext SMS is a "feature" for users whose top needs include a single-app UX, and a "bug" for users whose top needs include an app that is foolproof E2EE (so users don't have to consciously pay attention to which conversations are Signal-native vs SMS). Maybe SMS support could be an opt-in feature, to accommodate both groups?

From my perspective (and I am NOT speaking for anybody else) this is an improvement. I already have multiple messaging apps installed, and when I click send on a Signal message I expect it to go end-to-end encrypted or not go at all. But I am not the only user profile.

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