Messaging services (with say >100k users) should fall under general laws for telecommunications. For instance, this would solve the problem that messaging services don't interface with eachother (lock-in), and it would solve the problem of the provider peeking into any of the messages for whatever reason.
Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
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Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#52Messaging services (with say >100k users) should fall under general laws for telecommunications. For instance, this would solve the problem that messaging services don't interface with eachother (lock-in), and it would solve the problem of the provider peeking into any of the messages for whatever reason.
But what if I want a messaging service to specifically be disconnected with other services?
By your offer, not only that you are forcing me to connect with everyone, you take an essential part of my privacy. Your suggestion is anti-freedom by its core.
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#53I wish there was something like Bitcoin for messaging. Users need a better way to prove their identities (or hide them, depending on the situation) and be able to verify peers. The current hierarchical security system is probably destined to require money, but the free alternatives make me uncomfortable because they tend to need private keys. What I really want is an open version of Skype where the private key can al…
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#54Just the opposite. The free software movement has led to apps and programs where the users are the product, not the customer, and companies bend over backwards for advertisers. The companies have no incentive to care about your privacy, just your data. Paid messaging apps, however (at least until they get acquired by advertising companies like Facebook), give companies incentives to service their customers first, and…
> The free software movement has led to apps and programs where the users are the product, not the customer, and companies bend over backwards for advertisers.
What part of "Shouldn't make money" didn't you understand? You do realize that if you're selling user data that makes money?
The free software movement has done no such thing. The apps and programs you're talking about where the users are the product are free as in beer, not free as in freedom, and the latter is what the free software movement is about.
> This article's title is woefully non-conclusive.
Maybe try reading more than the title?
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#55> Secure messaging should be free for everyone. Displaying ads alongside your private communication seems out of place, even immoral I completely agree. In this ideal situation, who pays for it? The article seems to have left this small detail out. How do you plan on getting this service to work without someone footing the bill?
This question is answered rather quickly when you ask two questions:
1. What exactly are people paying for? 2. Is that actually necessary for messaging?
If the answer to 1 is servers, the answer to 2 is no: distributed or federated messaging is entirely reasonable and possible to do. If the answer to 1 is paid developers, the answer to 2 is no: there are plenty of developers willing to work on open source. Try it.
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#56Is it open source and open protocol?
If so, that's what we need. Email was once a bunch of proprietary systems - MCIMail, CompuServ, AOL, etc. It was inconvenient that they didn't interoperate. All those proprietary systems were wiped out by an open one.
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#57Just the opposite. The free software movement has led to apps and programs where the users are the product, not the customer, and companies bend over backwards for advertisers. The companies have no incentive to care about your privacy, just your data. Paid messaging apps, however (at least until they get acquired by advertising companies like Facebook), give companies incentives to service their customers first, and…
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Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#58I wish there was something like Bitcoin for messaging. Users need a better way to prove their identities (or hide them, depending on the situation) and be able to verify peers. The current hierarchical security system is probably destined to require money, but the free alternatives make me uncomfortable because they tend to need private keys. What I really want is an open version of Skype where the private key can al…
In 5 years time a widespread conclusion might be that Telegram is the Bitcoin of messaging.
(But probably not in a way where anybody is glad about it)
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#59I think the key thing here is that Durov has the money from selling stock in his previous company (12% w/valuation of 3-4 billion) which means he can afford to pay to support the app in the meantime without any external financial help. I do think there are different ways to monetize messaging outside of pushing advertisements into people's face or selling information and third-party paid apps are a good option. In th…
Nobody sets out to do evil but until he creates an ownership structure which prevents himself from cashing in once he's won everyone's trust this is just an underdog doing whatever it takes to attract customers. To be succinct, one day he will sell out and the buyers will have every incentive to make money out of their users.
What's funny is that he was also promising to not put any ads at VK (russian social network he founded) ever, but pretty soon he acted in an opposite way.
Re: Messaging apps shouldn't make money – Pavel Durov and Telegram
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
How do you collect rent on an open platform?
"How do you make money off search?" -- question by a lot of smart people around 2000.
The commenter above, bmmayer1, noted advertisers would be how that would be done. I believe a similar method was used with search engines.