Basic Guide To Messaging Apps

Problem With Most Messaging Apps

Let's talk about the problem with most mainstream messaging apps.

The problem with actually trying to build relationships on any of these apps and actually trying to converse on them (that being like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) is that they are built hyper addict you. It's like conversing at drunk party, everyone is recording and monitoring each other, everyone is fake, it doesn't feel real or genuine at all. I couldn't imagine calling people through these apps.

There's also a lot of unnecessary drama, and emotionally immaturity/stupidity. I don't know about you, but using these apps for the foundations of relationships and friendships feels really weird and strange to me. Combine that with echo-chambers, and group/cult/herd behavior - yeah no, thanks.

Discord
  • Not Open Source
  • Not Public
  • Not Secure
  • Supports Voice
  • Supports Video
  • Has a Good Interface
  • Supports Group Servers

Discord is spyware, it's run like a business, and it contains much unnecessary drama. It's also filled to the brink with groomers, degenerates, extremists, and predators. Combining all these are a recipe for disaster. I don't feel comfortable with any of this and I don't like the culture it promotes. That being said, I do like some of its functionality and I think if it were implemented differently it could be very useful to people. I like the idea of having servers whether private/public and I like its interface. Having a messaging app that is secure, public, but is also easy to set up to allow for group servers and moderation would be ideal. Discord was a nice little experiment. Hopefully it laid the groundwork for better applications to come along and replace it.

Element
  • Open Source
  • Public
  • Secure
  • Supports Voice
  • Supports Video
  • Ok Interface
  • Supports Creating Group Servers, But Hard To Find Group Servers

Element is my ideal messaging app. It has all the secure protocols you can imagine while still being easy to use. It's perfect for 1v1 conversations. However, I dislike its interface, and it's not so great for finding group servers. I feel like where discord lags behind element excels at and vice versa. Would be nice if a messaging app could juggle both.

Signal
  • Open Source
  • Public
  • Secure
  • Supports Voice
  • Supports Video

Signal is more of a phone app, so I don't feel right to compare it as a desktop messaging app. That being said it's another ideal messaging app. Just like element it has a bunch of secure protocols built into it that I feel good about. So much so that it costs a lot to manage. I feel like it's the best messaging app for the phone on the market. If I had to text someone, I would gladly use signal.

Revolt
  • Open Source
  • Public
  • Not Secure
  • Supports Voice
  • Does Not Support Video Through Screen Sharing
  • Good Interface
  • Supports Group Servers

Revolt chat is super new. It's open source and public. It has a great interface and group servers similar to that of Discord. Only problem is that it doesn't have the same secure protocols that Element/Signal have. There are a lot of features and requests being worked on. My main request is to implement the same type of secure protocols that Element/Signal have. Popularity means nothing if you don't have security/decent community. I hope it succeeds in that department, and I wish their developers the best of luck.

Mattermost
  • Open Source
  • Public
  • Secure
  • Supports Voice
  • Supports Video
  • Ok Interface
  • Supports Creating Group Servers, But Hard To Find Group Servers

Mattermost is basically a carbon copy of Element, but instead this time it's funded by the government. It's open source, easy to use, it just has no ecosystem compared to Element. Still though, it's a nice alternative.

IRC, XMPP
  • Open Source
  • Public
  • Secure
  • Does Not Support Voice
  • Does Not Support Video
  • Interface Depends On How You Set It Up, But Mostly Ok
  • Too Hard To Set Up/Use For Most People

Honestly IRC/XMPP are really cool, but they are more for the old school tech web nerds: people that like the old way of texting and are not afraid of tinkering around a bit to get it right. It comes at a cost and is practically dead, but honestly I am fine with it. When I find out someone has IRC it brings back fun memories of nostalgia. I don't think these should be compared to the modern messaging apps as of now, but I'll still use these for fun occasionally.

Conclusions

So I think we all have to understand that no matter how secure or cool the messaging app is, there is a limitation here. Fundamentally it really comes down on HOW you use it and WHAT it's designed for.

Best Friends, Family, Relationships, Work

  • IRL Conversation
  • Signal
  • Element
  • *Maybe Revolt When It Gets Secure Protocols

Solutions to this issue:

  1. Don't use messaging apps on your phone that track you → Use Open Source
  2. Don't use messaging apps on your computer that track you → Use Open Source
  3. If forced → Real Life > Technology, Computer > Phone
  4. ALWAYS Use uBlock Origin
  5. Proprietary business apps are ALWAYS spyware

*Always remember, the government, media, and corporations will use whatever psychological tactics that are possible to frame you and your data out of context

Government, corporations, and the media are not the good guys. They are not going to do right thing. There is no such as good and bad, instead what there is, is "do I like you or do not like you." And if they don't like you then you better make sure your data is protected. Privacy laws in America are pretty crap, and it's embarrassing, but we should do everything in power to fight for a better world.