diff --git a/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md b/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2166768 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md @@ -0,0 +1,90 @@ +--- +layout: post +comments: true +title: "Why I use Telegram?" +category: [english] +tags: [english, IRC, Telegram, security, privacy] +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.* + +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 +username, not the phone number (like at [WhatsApp] and possibly [Signal]). + +This makes [Telegram] somewhat more open version of [Slack] as anyone can +join public groups without being invited by email address, public link +or invite link that group creator can get. + +[Telegram] also is cross-platform and welcomes third party clients unlike +[WhatsApp] and Signal (which gives me the impression of being a little more +transparent WhatsApp *[reason](https://github.com/LibreSignal/LibreSignal/issues/37#issuecomment-217211165)*). +The official clients are open source (but like Android the source code +always seems to be released some time after the release) and there are +unofficial clients for [Sailfish OS] and [Ubuntu Touch]. + +And back to the [bad crypto], I don't see what it matters if Telegram can +read the messages I send with cloud chat or attacker the secret chat +messages if the same groups there are on [Facebook] where [Facebook] can +read all the messages or the groups are [relayed to IRC] where most of +people sadly connect using plain text connection and send the plaintext +around the internet where anyone at correct position could read the +messages. + +If we compare [Telegram] to [IRC], [Telegram] immediately has the +advatance of being in groups/online receiving messages always since you +join the group. With [IRC] you would disconnect and join all the time when +you power off your devices unless you have took the time to learn using +shells (terminal multiplexer, CLI IRC client) or bouncers. + +It seems like IRC has very little requirements (without shell/bouncer), but +Telegram only requires phone number for logging in / registering and you +can do that on any client even [web.telegram.org](https://web.telegram.org) +and you see the same (not secret chat) messages on all clients. One could +argue that SMS verification is insecure, but you can enable two factor +authentication from the settings and enable password that you will always +be asked for in addition to the SMS/Telegram code. + +* * * * * + +But what if you need the stronger crypto? If you only communicate with +Android/iOS users, [Signal] might work for you, if you also need to +communicate with Windows Phone users, you must probably use [WhatsApp] +where most of your family/friends most likely already are. + +Most universal protocol would probably be [XMPP] and you can use e2e +encryption with it either by [OTR], [OpenPGP] or [OMEMO] where [OMEMO] +is at time of writing only supported by [Conversations], (Android-only, +[free on F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=conversations&fdid=eu.siacs.conversations)) +and [Gajim], (cross-platform desktop client). + +*PS. I encourage using some of the other options instead of having very + private/secret dicussions on [Telegram] as it's always possible to give + your number or [XMPP] ID and send people to contact you there. If you need + XMPP ID, try [podupti.me](https://podupti.me/) where you will also get a + Diaspora\* account. (Note that not all pods have XMPP enabled, check the + services offered.)* + +*PPS. I am somewhat unhappy with this post as it looks worse than I + imagined, but [improving pull requests are always welcome](https://github.com/Mikaela/mikaela.github.io/edit/master/_posts/2016-05-21-why-telegram.md).* + +[WhatsApp]:https://www.whatsapp.com/ +[Signal]:https://whispersystems.org/ +[Slack]:https://slack.com/ +[Telegram]:https://telegram.org/ +[Sailfish OS]:https://github.com/Dax89/harbour-sailorgram +[Ubuntu Touch]:https://uappexplorer.com/app/com.ubuntu.telegram: +[Facebook]:https://facebook.com/ +[IRC]:http://ircv3.net/ +[XMPP]:https://xmpp.org/ +[OTR]:https://otr.cypherpunks.ca/ +[OpenPGP]:https://gnupg.org/ +[OMEMO]:https://conversations.im/omemo/ +[Conversations]:https://conversations.im/ +[Gajim]:https://gajim.org/ +[bad crypto]:http://security.stackexchange.com/a/49802 +[relayed to IRC]:https://github.com/FruitieX/teleirc