From 0bf2ecdf3d07773befbdf462bb0b88e624c49f87 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Mikaela Suomalainen Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2016 15:38:00 +0300 Subject: [PATCH] _posts: Why I left Telegram --- _posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md | 2 + _posts/2016-09-29-why-not-telegram.md | 70 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 72 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2016-09-29-why-not-telegram.md diff --git a/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md b/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md index 2166768..33f735a 100644 --- a/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md +++ b/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md @@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ redirect_from: /whytelegram.html *I get often asked why do I use Telegram even if it's known to have bad crypto. The answer is that crypto doesn't always matter.* +***[Please read why I removed my Telegram account!]({% post_url 2016-09-29-why-not-telegram %}*** + The main reason is usernames, I can take one and share it to people for them to contact me instead of giving my phone number to everyone. This also applies to groups where people see only the name and optionally diff --git a/_posts/2016-09-29-why-not-telegram.md b/_posts/2016-09-29-why-not-telegram.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..79a80e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2016-09-29-why-not-telegram.md @@ -0,0 +1,70 @@ +--- +layout: post +comments: true +title: "Why not Telegram or why I left it" +category: [english] +tags: [english, Telegram, feminism] +--- + +*You might have read my post on [why I use Telegram] or something else + about Telegram I have typed, so I guess I must also blog about why I + left.* + +[why I use Telegram]:{% post_url 2016-05-21-why-telegram %} + +* *Communication* - you might have seen [Telegram tweets] and how there + is only one tweet which they ever replied to. However they never + implemented any way to limit who can start those secret chats (that are + [insecure] by the way). + * *Changelogs* - when I write this, Telegram Desktop changelog lags + month behind the releases which there have been at least three. +* *Twisted version of FOSS* - They claim to be *Free Open Source Software*, + but they never released the source of the server side software and + they always release the source code long time after the client has + been released, even if I know Android does this too. The third party + clients suffer from the same issue, they say their code is stolen + to paid projects and thus they just stop releasing the code. As a side + issue they also don't use `git tag`. +* *Security* - you have surely seen someone comment that Telegram is + [insecure] and what do the founders do? They start attacking the person + saying that it's insecure instead of doing anything to the security + issues. The latest case was Pavel Durov vs Edward Snowden at Twitter. +* *Spam* - the topic I have written the most about. At Telegram there is + no way to control who can message you (you can only report them for + spam afterwards if you don't reply and that doesn't apply to their + "secret chats"). As I am a woman, I get messages from many men and my + block list was around 110 people at the time I removed my account. The + issue didn't get helped by removing username which is one big reason + to use Telegram and while I had username, it got worse when "Telegram + search engine" Intent.to listed me as a "channel or bot" which + apparently meant "dating bot" as my username was "Kissaela", I was + probably findable with the word "kiss". + * How other services have reslved this? + * IRCds generally have usermode +g preventing anyone from messaging + you unless you `/accept` them or give them permision to PM you + first. + * Matrix/Riot requires you to create a room for even messages + between two users and to message the person, you must invite + them to your new room. The invited user has a choice whether + to follow your invitation or refuse it. + +[Telegram tweets]:{% post_url 2016-06-01-telegram-tweets %} +[insecure]:http://security.stackexchange.com/a/49802 + +* * * * * + +How do you reach me now? I will be updating my SOME page to include IM +accounts or kill the chat page replacing it with contact page including +some kind of details on how to contact me (remember the PGP key that won't +be listed) hopefully keeping control on who can contact me. Whichever +I do, you will find the SOME or Contact page from top bar. It still needs +some thinking and I won't be updating this page. + +* * * * * + +I almost forgot, you can remove your Telegram account at +https://telegram.org/deactivate . You are asked your phone number in +international format and then security code sent to *Telegram* and you +are asked for optional feedback before leaving and final confirmation. When +you confirm, you are logged out of all Telegram clients and your account +is gone. However your groups stay as ghosts.