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Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

updates.techforpalestine.org

51–60 of 370 posts

Re: Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

#51

This will be very interesting if they can conquer the distribution issue. During the Hong Kong protests I recall several such solutions were created, but the dominant thing ended up being airdrop because it is what so many people already had locked and loaded.

Another problem is what happens when police stop to search you. You don't want to have "please beat me dead" app installed when it's happens.

Re: Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

#52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article literally starts by outlining the need. “Civilian comms in a warzone” is an actual current need in many parts of the world.

Shhh the IDF stans think all civilians are combatants

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Re: Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

#55
post #34

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> instead of linking to the project page, the link goes to a propaganda website It's detailing a specific use-case for decentralized communication > The actual project is nowhere to be found "Bitchat is a new messaging app that allows users to chat securely with or without internet access. Download it today via the App Store or Google Play store to begin communicating safely, even when connectivity disappears." > Ver…

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Re: Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

#58
post #40

A lot of Meshcore/Meshtastic stations popping up lately too all over the world too. Repeaters/Router can, if you put a bit of love in to highly efficient 3.3V generation, forever an a 6V solar cell and a 18650 LiPo. I've tested 60km with a 868MHz LoRa station using a shabby 5dBi omni antenna. Just run out of hills to test more. But not as easy to use as BLE(+BLE Meshing) which is basically integrated into every smart…

I looked into Meshtastic a while ago and they use AES with no authentication tags. Also decryption happens on the LoRa device, which is a lot easier to crack with physical access compared to my phone. Even if you delete the messages it's still possible to decrypt sniffed LoRa traffic if, at some point in the future, one device gets captured. I'd rather the protocol gets updated so the crypto key can stay on the phone…

Agreed – and MeshCore follows a similar "security on the radio" design.

With the "cell phone + companion radio" setup which is currently very popular, it would seem the correct solution is to perform encryption on the phone – using the Signal protocol – and use the companion radio only to send/receive these blobs.

This has the added benefit that you can pair with _any_ arbitrary companion radio, rather than your identity being tied to one specific radio you own.

Re: Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

#59

Is it actually being used in Palestine? My problem is that when you are actually locally near someone you don't really need live chat; and if you're far, it might become too unstable to use. But I might be wrong!

it’s not just chat over Bluetooth, the message is relayed over a mesh so you can chat with people much further than Bluetooth range.

Re: Bitchat for Gaza – messaging without internet

#60

This will be very interesting if they can conquer the distribution issue. During the Hong Kong protests I recall several such solutions were created, but the dominant thing ended up being airdrop because it is what so many people already had locked and loaded.

Another problem is what happens when police stop to search you. You don't want to have "please beat me dead" app installed when it's happens.

I think in these kinds of places they beat you dead for being the wrong skin colour if they're in a bad mood. I'm not sure how much your installed apps are relevant to the decision.
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