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Ask HN: If Signal goes through with removing SMS, what app should replace it?

8 points by thebetatester ↗ HN
It seems like an ill-advised move to remove SMS support from Signal (as shown by the multitude of comments on the discussion of the post elsewhere on HN). One of the reasons I like Signal is it isn't Google Messages, as in it's one extra step for Google to peek at the messages I'm sending (using Android itself notwithstanding). I felt I could trust Signal not to be actively undermining my privacy and monetizing/cataloging my communications. What trusted app would you recommend for SMS communication if Signal does in fact remove that feature?

9 comments

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smoldesu
SMS is not a trustworthy protocol. If you want security, set up OMEMO or Matrix properly. If you want SMS, use an SMS messenger. You shouldn't fear Google/Apple in this matter, but rather Big Telco, who probably stores all of your SMS messages for at least 5 years (if they comply with government regulation). There's not really a company on the planet who can fix that for you, besides maybe Tracphone if you'd consider using burners.
Spunkie
Signals position is moronic and if they go through with the change it basically leaves matrix as the only option. But matrix/element UI/UX is still not really ready for prime time.
slim
Silence https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/

first versions of signal had encrypted sms. then it was spinned of as a separate app. then abandoned.

Silence is a much more evolved fork of that spinoff. It's the best sms app even without encryption (it has encryption). It's the first app I install on a new android

dodslaser
Is silence actively maintained? The last update is from 3 years ago, and aside from translations their git repo seems pretty dead too.
slim
I don't know, it looks complete to me
TheCapeGreek
As a counterpoint, all this hullabaloo around removing SMS being a bad idea is weird to me. SMS' ongoing popularity seems to be more specific to the US/NA area. That's likely the biggest market since it seems SMS is free-ish for phone carriers there? The rest of the world moved on from SMS ages ago except for marketing/spam/OTPs.

I welcome more replacement of SMS over time globally.

thebetatester
I agree SMS is a terrible standard in terms of privacy/security but as I do live in North America and frequency communicate with iphone users (and Android users but they don't have "green bubble syndrome") that have no intention of using Signal I need an SMS app. Back when it was TextSecure I had separate apps and really detested it since I only knew one other person with TS so it was basically my app to talk to him. Now I'm going back to that model except I maybe have 3 contacts that I talk to regularly that use Signal. That's hardly worth it.