If you add this to your F-droid repository, you can get Signal through F-droid.
Thank you for advice
Edit of my first postā¦
@Ana.117 ,
when you are looking for privacy in your communication, of course you are thinking to app which encrypt the messages.
In that case Messenger and WhatApps can be considered as secured.
But, at the end, itās secured for your communication but not private. Why? Because to use the app you need to provide a phone number and provide also access to your contact list. And you accept of course in order to use the app. But did you ask to your contact list if the agree that you share their information with Facebook or anyone else?
The issue is that your contact list is downloaded by the provider of the service: here Facebook for Messenger & WhatApps. So even if your communication are secured and private, you share a lot of other information. And donāt think Faceboof does nothing with these kind of information! Just think to the reason which push Facebook to buy Whatapps some years agoā¦ For apps like Messenger, WhatsApp or even Signal and perhaps Telegram, these data are stored on a private third party server, where a big directory list all the users of the app around the world.
In addition, often we consider the security of the message itself. But what about metadata?
Thatās an issue for privacy. Because they can know everything about your activity. Itās I guess a little bit like a VPN which would claim be secure and private but which would keep a lot logsā¦ Itās not advised!! (see even /e/ blog for recommendation about vpn (Daily tips to gain more privacy from Murena team | by /e/ Developers Blog | Jan, 2022 | Medium))
These directories are also an issue if the server is compromised.
For me (really my personnal point of view), itās clear that any messaging apps coming from GAFAM or BATX canāt be considered secure & private.
Even any apps coming from 5 Eyes countries (US, UK, ā¦). Looking for such app to replace WhatApps for someone I know, I discovered a not well-know one which seems quite nice and that I can use: Olvid (Olvid - Home or Olvid - Home)
Here, end-to-end encryption by default for all communication of course (unlike Telegram) but in addition no registry of all users on the service providerās server unlike Messenger, WhatApps, Signal.
Metadata seem to be protected also.
Not in 5 Eyes country (unlike Signal, WhatApps, Messenger who are in US).
What is good also is that you donāt need to share your contact list or even your phone number. To be in touch with someone, you exchange one QR code (by e-mail, sms, ā¦) that you confirm by another channel of communication. So you are sure that the guy on the other side is the right one.
It receives also one certifcate of security from the french agency ANSSI.
One another interesting stuff is that the app is now OpenSource on GitHub and available on the /e/ apps store.
One stuff also about apps and even OS in general: you was perhaps said: āif itās free your are the productā. Indeed, itās true as soon as you have to share your personal data with the service provider. I think itās a good advise to say that you have to escape from these services.
But Signal is free also? and even /e/? Indeed! Nothing is free, everything has a cost even if you donāt pay for that cost. /e/ & Signal are a foundation. So they can collect donation and I think itās a good way to support their work and the service they give to us to protect our private life. Or you can pay a few amount: what is the price of your privacy at the end?
For Olvid, the main features are free and for some other you have to pay. Here, it seems that their business model is mainly the BtoB which pay enough for to provide free service for people like us.
After, I guess that the best is to try it and build your own feedback
Of course, difficult to make your contacts to a new messaging appā¦ thatās why so many people are still using Whatapps