Which Private Messaging app allows me to view the messages on all profiles

nygaardgoes

I’m looking for a message app that is as private as possible, but still allows me to view the same messages i have sent and recieved on all profiles/devices.

If you could list me a con list about it, with how much data it collects and stores. That would be nice.
(device compatibility has to be available for IOS too)

I hope you can help me out, since i’m having a hard time finding a secure app.

ryrona

nygaardgoes Element. Element is a fully end-to-end encrypted chat app, but all chat messages are stored on your selected home server instead of on your device. This allows you to login to your account on any number of devices or profiles, and they will all see exactly the same things. The homeserver won't be able to read any of your sent or received messages, or view any of your sent or received files, but the homeserver will know who you are communicating with. Element works fine using Tor or a VPN, and does not require you to provide any identifying information during signup, so can allow for anonymity as well, if that is something you desire. Element is available on all major mobile and desktop operating systems, as well as through a web app.

elih

nygaardgoes

XMPP/OMEMO on the Conversations app should allow for this possibility.

Dumdum

ryrona Element is a fully end-to-end encrypted chat app

Only if the room is set to be encrypted. "Fully" is not accurate, unless things have changed in that regard.

nygaardgoes

ryrona Thanks i’ll try it out. And are there any free vpns that is good enough for it?

ryrona

Dumdum Only if the room is set to be encrypted. "Fully" is not accurate, unless things have changed in that regard.

All rooms you create are end-to-end encrypted by default, and this cannot be disabled after the room has been created.

It is only if you create a public room that anyone can join without invite that the end-to-end encryption will be disabled, since end-to-end encryption would serve no purpose in such a room anyway, and just slow it down too much if there are many users in the room. But all your private rooms you create, whether direct message rooms or group chats, will be end-to-end encrypted always.

Dumdum

ryrona All rooms you create are end-to-end encrypted by default, and this cannot be disabled after the room has been created.

I knew that you can't disable it, but good to know its on by default. Wonder why they make it seem like its not the default.

ryrona

Dumdum Wonder why they make it seem like its not the default.

No idea. I also just now checked in the app, and you actually can create private group chats with end-to-end encryption disabled. I also don't understand why they even offer that as an option, to disable encryption. But I can assure you encryption is enabled by default, and I have never been invited to a group chat that hasn't had end-to-end encryption enabled.

Long ago, when Element was still called Riot chat, it didn't have end-to-end encryption. That has been added on afterwards. Maybe the option to disable it is kept around for compatibility with legacy clients? I don't know.

ryrona

nygaardgoes And are there any free vpns that is good enough for it?

I don't know. I use a paid one. You don't need to use a VPN to use Element though, it is mostly only if you want anonymity towards the home server. As long as you disable peer-to-peer connections in the settings for voice and video calls, or simply don't do voice and video calls with untrusted beings, the ones you chat with cannot tell where in the world you are. Only your homeserver.

nygaardgoes

ryrona It says in data safety, it shares almost everything on the device (files and docs, location, audio, messages, device or other ids, contacts) with a third party

fid02

Doesn't Molly support linked devices? Do messages get synced across them?

ryrona

nygaardgoes It says in data safety, it shares almost everything on the device (files and docs, location, audio, messages, device or other ids, contacts) with a third party

What data safety? Element never requested permissions to access my SMS messages, contacts or location. Element uses the system file picker for file uploads, so also never requested access to my files nor documents. Microphone and video access is only requested when you start a voice or video call with someone, and you can select to permit only at that occasion. I have only granted Element notifications and network permissions, absolutely nothing else. And everything works fine, and it has never even asked me to grant any other permission.

nygaardgoes

elih which app?

elih

nygaardgoes which app?
Here are a few possibilities with highlights:

Conversations- easy XMPP access

Snikket- simple self-hosting solution or pay them to host a server that you control (easier than using a VPS, and no more expensive)

Cheogram- jmp.chat hosts a Snikket server for you and provides voip services over XMPP

Monocles- adds a Tor(orbot) option

nygaardgoes

ryrona Google play stores app safety, information that the developer have provided. It looks like it collectd a lot of data.

ryrona

nygaardgoes I just searched for Element on Google Play, and I cannot find it at all. Just their new Element X app which I don't know anything about. I installed Element from F-Droid.

But if I am going to make a guess, it might be a list of information the app can collect, not a list of information the app actually collects. Maybe they have some kind of second factor authentication method that uses your location data? Maybe they allow for sign ups using phone number rather than e-mail address and make it convenient to do that by requesting access to phone and SMS messages? Maybe there is some plugin you can install that can make use of such data? But it certainly won't be default, and you don't have to actually give the app permissions to those things.

fid02

ryrona I just searched for Element on Google Play, and I cannot find it at all.

I'm my region, Element is rated PEGI 18 and cannot be installed or even show up in search results unless I verify my age with Google. Can try the direct link https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=im.vector.app

ryrona

fid02 I'm my region, Element is rated PEGI 18 and cannot be installed or even show up in search results unless I verify my age with Google.

Really?! That probably explains it since Google limited my accounts as a child's account for some reason, after I created it. But literally all other end-to-end encrypted chat apps are on there, why would Element be any different? Actually, even Element X is on there.

fid02 Can try the direct link https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=im.vector.app

Thank you. Okay, yeah, that one pretty much say that there is functionality in the app that can make use of such data. They use the phrasing "may use" extensively. Also, for almost all of that data, they clearly say it is optional and only used for analytics, in case you opt-in to providing analytics of app usage to the developers, which of course no one serious about privacy would do.