this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2025
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Isn't Signal still centralised? Why use it over Matrix? (genuine question)
It is, but Signal and Matrix aren't really all that similar. Matrix's privacy is pretty atrocious. It stores tons of meta data about users all over the place. That's the exact opposite of what Signal does.
yup. signal devs/servers have NO access at all to anything about the conversations.
Signal is person to person messaging with groups on the side (ala WhatsApp)
Matrix is groups with person to person on the side (ala Discord)
Ooh thanks that makes more sense
Matrix leaks a ton of metadata and for normal users the clients are still very much in the sucking phase. Signal being centralized changes nothing about its security when the freaking servers can't see anything about the messages. It literally is the most secure way to communicate out there, period.
Thanks; is leaking metadata just a consequence of the decentralized nature or is it something specific to how Matrix was made? Maybe I'll try out Signal (I've been looking for some alternatives) but I don't like how they're based in America/5 Eyes, even if they are encrypted.
But yeah, that's the thing, it doesn't matter where it is based when there can't be any information gleamed from it.
In terms of message security, but they could shut down the servers and disrupt the service for a while.
Signal literally couldn't give away your communications if they wanted to, everyone who disagrees with the way things are going should be using it.
There's some people trying to run messaging services over TOR, no idea if much is gained from it
Because its a more user friendly experience. Your grandma can use it with no hustle. Matrix is more complicated UX and also much slower and buggier (at least if you use Element and matrix.org). Ive actually started to prefer Delta Chat over Matrix.
You use Simplex over Signal for improved privacy and no identifiers, not Matrix.
Signal is still very good though.
I think SimpleX is the currently the best chat app, with potential to be much more.
It's more private and secure, and it's easier to use/recommend.
Matrix stores all metadata, and most all of it makes it's way to the matrix.org (default instance) server and is subject to dragnet subpoenas. It's also complicated to use, incredibly slow, and resource-intensive.