Earlier quoted context omitted.
[dead]
For the lulz
Best reason of any!
Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
431–440 of 609 posts
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#432Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think parent's point is, if data appears on sceen, the OS in theory can capture it and send to Google servers as screenshots or OCR'd text.
Yes, that likely is the GP's point, but it's not really relevant to the discussion going on in this thread. Certainly Google could "backdoor" its OS in that way, but they have little motivation to do so (and a lot to lose if they were to do so and were found out). Their recent move to make their location history / timeline product an on-device-only feature because they don't want to have to respond to law enforcement…
> Their recent move to make their location history / timeline product an on-device-only feature because they don't want to have to respond to law enforcement requests for user location data would seem to suggest they really would prefer to not have this sort of data.
I suspect that isn’t the motivation. GDPR says that you have to give users choices about data stored like this (including right to be forgotten, how it’s processed and used and so on), and this becomes a technical, legal and commercial nightmare very quickly. The easier route is just to get rid of it if you can.
This saves Google money (it likely wasn’t that useful to sell to advertisers), makes legal compliance a lot easier and de-risks them from very large fines.
I suspect that the EU lawmakers didn’t think about second order effects like making it harder for law enforcement to access this data in scenarios like this.
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#433Earlier quoted context omitted.
> It also used to require sharing phone numbers to add contacts, which imo is already a privacy violation. https://signal.org/blog/phone-number-privacy-usernames/ Signal doesn't require sharing of phone numbers
> Signal doesn't require sharing of phone numbers It does require a phone number to create an account. That’s the reason I do not consider it being private because at least in Germany a phone number can only be activated by using a personal ID card which it is connected to.
Private and anonymous are two very different things
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#434Earlier quoted context omitted.
Signal has probably the worst UX of any messaging app. It also used to require sharing phone numbers to add contacts, which imo is already a privacy violation. Telegram is fast, responsive, gets frequent updates, has great group chat, tons of animated emojis, works flawlessly on all desktop and mobile platforms, has great support for media, bots, and a great API, allows edits and deleting messages for all users, and…
Telegram consumes up to 50% of battery charge on iOS, with practically zero daily usage, all energy saving settings enabled, and a single followed channel, whether or not I force close the app or reinstall it. I gave up on trying to make it work, merely installing the fucking app ensures my phone is dead in the morning.
That absolutely does not happen to me. I have it installed and don't use it (at all) and my battery life is fine.
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#435I don't know why people get hung up on Telegram's encryption. Maybe they're trying to make it be something it isn't. Is Discord end to end encrypted, is IRC? Nope, does it make them useless? Again no. Same with Telegram, it's a chat tool where you can select your audience and have a good UX with native bot support. (like Discord and IRC). That's what I want, nothing more. If I want to plan a coup, I'd use something e…
It's because Telegram is marketing itself as a secure messaging app, and because journalists continuously present it as such while discussing the arrest of its CEO.
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#436Try the mud puddle test: log into your account on a new device using the password recovery flow. Can you see your old messages? If the answer is yes then law enforcement can too. https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonykosner/2012/08/05/how-se...
> If the answer is yes then law enforcement can too. Is it technically possible for them to see it: yes Does Telegram let them see it: I don't think so. That seems to be the core issue around Durov being arrested. They probably should implement E2EE for everything. Then they will have a good excuse not to cooperate, because they simply don't have the data.
Do you have some info about Durov being arrested for not letting law enforcement see encrypted messages? The public info says he was arrested for "...lack of moderation, ...[and] failing to take steps to curb criminal uses of Telegram."
I don't see anywhere saying he's been arrested for anything to do with encryption or cooperating with investigations.
eg https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg2kz9kn93o but pretty much all the sources I have read say the same
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#437Earlier quoted context omitted.
That is the correct default. Every day users are far more likely to accidentally lose their data than to run into government snooping.
If that is the correct default then why Telegram is blamed for having non-E2E chats by default? Maybe they also care about users who can accidentally lose their conversations. When Apple does it, it is good, but when Telegram or TikTok do the same, it is bad and not secure.
because telegram and it’s users heavily insinuate it’s comparable to Signal rather than Tiktok.
right on their front page in giant font they declare “private” and “secure” when they’re neither. it’s telegram’s own fault they receive this criticism repeatedly—and they strangely constantly complain every time they’re publicly spanked and taken to task. theyre heavily insinuating (i call it it lying) to their users and then over and over crying because they get called out.
if they don’t want to be called out then they should quit insinuating those things, it’s dangerous af. they know they’re lying though, obviously they won’t stop. but omg i wish their users would run fast and run far—it’s like watching an abused person who keeps going back to their abusive partner “oh they mean well”… pffft, no, they really dont.
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#438I don't know why people get hung up on Telegram's encryption. Maybe they're trying to make it be something it isn't. Is Discord end to end encrypted, is IRC? Nope, does it make them useless? Again no. Same with Telegram, it's a chat tool where you can select your audience and have a good UX with native bot support. (like Discord and IRC). That's what I want, nothing more. If I want to plan a coup, I'd use something e…
It's because Telegram is marketing itself as a secure messaging app, and because journalists continuously present it as such while discussing the arrest of its CEO.
I've only heard telegram presented as a messenger for criminals in western media.
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#439It’s not encrypted by default, and even if it were encrypted, you should never trust any connected device with anything important. That being said, Telegram is hands down the best communication platform right now. It is feature-rich, with features implemented years ago that are only now being added to other platforms. It has normal chatting/video calls, groups, channels, and unlimited storage in theory, all for free.…
What's in Telegram that you don't see in Signal? Honest question, I only use Signal rather than Telegram.
For me, that I can just do apt install telegram-desktop
Re: Is Telegram really an encrypted messaging app?
#440Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why not the "founder locked up" test? If the founder claims secure encryption, yet they are not in jail, that means there's no secure encryption because they negotiated their freedom in exchange for secret backdoors.
Maybe, but not a good litmus test. If it’s truly secure and the founder can’t provide information because they don’t have access to it it’s also possible they can’t build a case in most countries.
In Russia too?