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Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

briarproject.org

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Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#51

Post by toastal »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #37
californiadreem wrote: post #18

My wife and I use Briar for household communication because of subsidiarity rather than any direct privacy concerns. Out of all the messenger projects that we've tried, Briar actually works for local communication. It's actually instant messaging without any client hiccups or latency (looking at you, Signal). We've tried a ton of other options, but we keep ending up back at Briar. There are points of UX friction in t…

> It's actually instant messaging without any client hiccups or latency (looking at you, Signal). This is almost certainly poor wifi / cell coverage, not Signal having "hiccups" or "latency." I routinely have real-time texting conversations with friends and I can see the messages are "seen" almost instantaneously, half-way across the US. I've also never had an issue with voice chat. It's been flawless, and very high…

> available on iOS too

Ah yes, the two operating systems: Android + iOS. You can't have an account without registering a primary device on one of those OSs. No KaiOS, no Linux phones, no desktop machines, no web-only options. I'm mad about these mobile-duopoly-app-first services because you can't participate in alternative lifestyles when it Cowes to phone usage.

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#52

Post by anonym29 »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #37
californiadreem wrote: post #18

My wife and I use Briar for household communication because of subsidiarity rather than any direct privacy concerns. Out of all the messenger projects that we've tried, Briar actually works for local communication. It's actually instant messaging without any client hiccups or latency (looking at you, Signal). We've tried a ton of other options, but we keep ending up back at Briar. There are points of UX friction in t…

> It's actually instant messaging without any client hiccups or latency (looking at you, Signal). This is almost certainly poor wifi / cell coverage, not Signal having "hiccups" or "latency." I routinely have real-time texting conversations with friends and I can see the messages are "seen" almost instantaneously, half-way across the US. I've also never had an issue with voice chat. It's been flawless, and very high…

>iOS, which is superior for digital privacy

False dichotomy. GrapheneOS, LineageOS, you have options on (some) Android handsets. You have no options on iOS. Further, much of Apple's walled-garden ecosystem is closed source.

Apple is HORRIBLE for user privacy, only marginally less horrible than Google. The difference is that Google isn't a tyrant who insists on making devices that MUST run their own OS. Ironically, Pixel devices have some of the best support for flashing other OS's, modded ROMs, rooting, etc.

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#53

Post by prmoustache »

9034725985 wrote: post #30
palata wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except I don't usually lose my family in the plane xD

I can see it being useful to type and chat between each other if we aren’t seated together on a plane.

We used it with my gf to make comments about other passengers quietly.

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#55

Post by Klonoar »

anonym29 wrote: post #52
KennyBlanken wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's actually instant messaging without any client hiccups or latency (looking at you, Signal). This is almost certainly poor wifi / cell coverage, not Signal having "hiccups" or "latency." I routinely have real-time texting conversations with friends and I can see the messages are "seen" almost instantaneously, half-way across the US. I've also never had an issue with voice chat. It's been flawless, and very high…

>iOS, which is superior for digital privacy False dichotomy. GrapheneOS, LineageOS, you have options on (some) Android handsets. You have no options on iOS. Further, much of Apple's walled-garden ecosystem is closed source. Apple is HORRIBLE for user privacy, only marginally less horrible than Google. The difference is that Google isn't a tyrant who insists on making devices that MUST run their own OS. Ironically, Pi…

>GrapheneOS, LineageOS, you have options on (some) Android handsets

These are not normal approaches used by the common person. Apple is not horrible for privacy, they simply help prevent certain types of surveillance capitalism.

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#56

Post by inadequatespace »

Tijdreiziger wrote: post #43
mikepurvis wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, it would absolutely be possible to set up a hotspot where all the clients were jailed and invisible to each other, had IPs in different subnets, whatever. Conventionally, I guess that sort of isolation doesn't typically happen as it's more work to set up and only really benefits users (privacy from each other), but maybe if more apps figure out how to take advantage of this things could change.

It’s not really more work; it’s just a matter of enabling the ‘client isolation’ setting on the wireless AP. For example, see Cisco’s Meraki documentation: https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Firewall_and_Traffic_Sha... > With Client Isolation enabled, clients will only be able to communicate with the default gateway and will not be able to communicate with any other devices on the same VLAN (or broadcast domain). In…

Even that extremely minor step counts as “more work” for the clientele we’re talking about here.

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#58

Post by slim »

neilv wrote: post #27

Briar's "F-Droid" installation option wants you to add a new package distribution repo to the F-Droid app. Rather than the usual way, which is to have F-Droid verify the source build of each version, and distribute through the official F-Droid repo. (And normally that "Get it on F-Droid" button links to F-Droid's page for the app, rather than to another page of the project.)

They want to sign their software themselves that's ok. Everybody learned their lesson from the Signal vs Fdroid drama

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#59

Post by KoftaBob »

palata wrote: post #26
jacooper wrote: post #24

I am waiting for Matrix's P2P support, once its out, its going to crush everything else. Supposedly its should come out with the improved mobile apps too, which are sorely needed.

Is it close to being released? Or is that all theoretical?

You can test it on their Element client's TestFlight beta: https://testflight.apple.com/join/Tgh2MEk6

Re: Briar: Peer-to-Peer Encrypted Messaging

#60

Post by ComodoHacker »

Tijdreiziger wrote: post #43
mikepurvis wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, it would absolutely be possible to set up a hotspot where all the clients were jailed and invisible to each other, had IPs in different subnets, whatever. Conventionally, I guess that sort of isolation doesn't typically happen as it's more work to set up and only really benefits users (privacy from each other), but maybe if more apps figure out how to take advantage of this things could change.

It’s not really more work; it’s just a matter of enabling the ‘client isolation’ setting on the wireless AP. For example, see Cisco’s Meraki documentation: https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Firewall_and_Traffic_Sha... > With Client Isolation enabled, clients will only be able to communicate with the default gateway and will not be able to communicate with any other devices on the same VLAN (or broadcast domain). In…

But you can't use Briar and the like with this Client Isolation, can you?
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