SimpleX Chat is an instant messenger that is decentralized and doesn’t depend on any unique identifiers such as phone numbers or usernames. Users of SimpleX Chat can scan a QR code or click an invite link to participate in group conversations.
-privacyguides.org
It’s clearly proving to be the most innovative technology when it comes to decentralized communication, in my opinion.
SimpleX Chat Ltd is a seed stage startup with a lot of user growth in 2022-2023, and a lot of exciting technical and product problems to solve to grow faster.
Run by a VC funded for-profit company. That really should tell you all you need to know. Sorry, but no thanks.
I did not know it was run by a VC funded company. Isn’t it open source and audited though? https://simplex.chat/blog/20221108-simplex-chat-v4.2-security-audit-new-website.html
Either way, if one needs to communicate without the use of identifiers like a phone number (afaik signal requires one) I trust Session. SimpleX features cool new tech but let’s wait until it matures
AFAIK it is audited, and its threat model is rather extreme, like there is no unequivocally binding id, you can give every contact a different id
They talk about for profit/no profit in their last blog entry
https://simplex.chat/blog/20240323-simplex-network-privacy-non-profit-v5-6-quantum-resistant-e2e-encryption-simple-migration.html
Why should that be an issue? It’s fully open source
Oh, my sweet sweet summer child… I have bad news for you 😆
this is a wrong take for a few reasons, if we’re talking about trust.
Also, Signal literally was taking money from the CIA for a decade and also is based in the US anyway, and no one hardly said a word 🤣🤣 “Privacy” activists are a joke lmao. Also signal made a crypto coin and took away features like SMS, but of course they get a free pass for that too. Makes you wonder.
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SimpleX is fully open source, verifiable, and audited. If there are changes that are bad, the community will talk about them, and at worst it can be forked
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SimpleX has made it clear that they dont want you to trust them. It’s decentralised and anyone can run their own relay, and the servers are designed prevent correlation. They also make it very easy to use TOR and multiple circuits. This is contrary to the inferior Signal model where you just have to trust that the centralized Signal org isnt leaking your phone and IP to the feds.
moving towards a decentralised, open, and trustless world is better for everyone. In this kind of system, I really dont give a damn where they are getting their money from, as long as they arent putting crap in the software, and if they do, we will all know about it. But so far they have shown that they are committed to extreme security and privacy, and they obviously arent trying to appeal to normies, so i doubt they would ever even try to put VC-pushed garbage in.
If you want a good app, you will need funding from somewhere. Look at apps like Session that arent funded well. They suck. So I’d rather SimpleX be funded by a VC instead of by the feds like Signal, as long as everything stays open, free, trustless, and decentralised
Time to get downvoted! See you guys at -50 😁
Where did I even mention Signal? Total strawman argument, as I don’t think Signal is a good option either.
But you go ahead and trust Simplex Chat Ltd. I guess some people only learn from their own mistakes 🤷♂️
you completely ignored what i said, as I specifically argued that simplex is made to be used without trust. so dont talk about me trusting people lol.
Also I agree with you on Signal, was just throwing it out there for others, not necessarily for you.
You walked right into my deliberate rethorical trap 😅
There is no such thing as trustless computing, and anyone that tries to sell you that is scamming you or drank the same kool-aid.
This comment right here is the sanest in this thread
I’m in full agreement with you. Not even a little bit of disagreement.
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I think it’s just that there are too many options and the communities are so fragmented. I’m trying out simplex but it still feels like beta software. Regardless I’d like to see it succeed so we have a real private alternative that doesn’t rely on big tech of shady government sponsorship.
“Hang on let me write down my QR code”
Usernames exist for a reason, especially in chat apps. Not having usernames is only going to severely limit your target demographic. And if nobody uses your app does it’s benefits even matter?
You just scan QR codes. It is not that complicated
It can be pretty complicated without a phone. Especially if your computer doesn’t have a webcam.
you don’t need a camera, you can load the qrCode image (after sending it through Signal 🤭
You match with someone on a dating app and want to move to the next step… Sending them a QR code to scan into the app is a huge hurdle.
Well dating apps are not made for privacy
A Messaging app is made for communication. The ideal dream is a messaging app that is both easy to communicate with, and respect privacy. If a messaging app cannot be used for a common messaging use case, like dating. It’s not going to work as a general messaging app
@SolarPunker@slrpnk.net I’ve not heard of anyone who does “not like” it? Many don’t know about it maybe. I can’t think of anything I’ve seen against it as it ticks most of the boxes for excellent privacy and has been very usable for me.
Me, my friends, and family are using it
Aaand… Everyone is hating it, tbh 🤣
The notifications are unreliable and at the same time it drains 20% of the battery
Waiting for fixes, also want to setup my own relay
My friends barely want to use Signal. There’s no chance they’re using something else.
Does it have forward/future security?
Because when you read their website https://simplex.chat/ and they say stuff like “Possibility of MITM > NO” and “Central component or other network-wide attack > No - resilient” they kind lose their credibility.
Also, “Other apps have user IDs (…) SimpleX does not, not even random numbers.” > there must be an ID at some point. When you invite someone with a QR code or a link that effectively becomes an ID - even if it changes for every invitation. Also servers need to coordinate message delivery, some form of ID is required for that.
The way the messaging queues work and what the servers see is interesting but I’m yet to dig into that.
