Two questions.

My family insist on using Whatsapp for the family chats. I have to keep a copy on a device just so I can communicate with them. I do so under protest, as I was always told it isn’t secure. My brother has just said

“oh Whatsapp is encrypted, it’s perfectly secure”.

First, is it actually as encrypted and safe as my brother claims? That would solve everything.

Second, if it isn’t, where can I get some proof that we should switch to Telegram or whatever? Proof which doesn’t make me look like a raving loony?

  • tioute@lemmy.world
    361·
    7 months ago

    “oh Whatsapp is encrypted, it’s perfectly secure”.

    This is exactly what WhatsApp’s marketing team wants you to believe. I’m not saying that encryption is inherently bad or that WhatsApp’s encryption is fake, but merely being encrypted is never perfectly secure.

    WhatsApp collects tons of data from your phone, including device ID, location, phone number, email address, and your contact book…

    And Telegram is also not secure. You can check what Telegram collects in this recent tweet below:

    https://twitter.com/WireMin/status/1728488472250392635

    • nIi7WJVZwktT4Ze@fost.hu
      121·
      7 months ago

      Content of the Tweet if you don’t want to click X links:

      What #Telegram collects and stores:

      1. Unencrypted messages, photos, videos, and files
      2. Encrypted photos and videos from secret chats
      3. Phone numbers and contacts
      4. Metadata such as IP addresses

      …

      What #WireMin collects and stores:

      1. None.

      #Decentralization #privacy

      By @WireMin

      • jet@hackertalks.comEnglish
        9·
        7 months ago

        Caution, wiremin is closed source, there is no proof for any of its claims. The risk profile is even worse than WhatsApp, because there are not independent security researchers trying to tear it apart.

        Wiremin keeps popping up here in gorilla marketing. It has no discussion on privacy tools… All the mentions appear to be from the business creators.

        • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
          3·
          7 months ago

          I’m running it on a couple test devices. It sucks. It eats ram, it’s sluggish, the UI is unintuitive. Add that to being closed source, and I won’t use it for real.