this post was submitted on 09 Aug 2023
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Privacy

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How to persuade people around me switch to Matrix/Element? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Hello fellow c/privacy members.

I'm not new to privacy related things but I had a hard time persuading my family members and friends to switch to Matrix/Element. It is a reponse to UK's Online Security Bill and Investigative Powers Act that may soon in effect.

While it is just a preperation and planning in case those actually became law, I already face resistance from them. When I ask them would they switch, their first reaction is "Why one more app?" then follows with "That's cumbersome." or "I don't want to learn a new app." and suggest something more popular like Line, Telegram or Discord. Sometimes they would "Install WhatsApp because X is on there and he/she won't install one more app just for you."

What can I do to persuade them to use a new platform? Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I think I should elebroate more of what Online Security Bill and Investigative Powers Act does[1]. As far as I understand, OSB will break E2EE by require scanning data on client device, like CSAM but much more generic. IPA requires companies to submit security funcition to the government for approval before releasing, and disable such feature upon request. Apple[2], Single[3] and WhatsApp made the announancment of exiting the UK market totally or partically if two were signed into law.

[1] https://web.archive.org/web/thenextweb.com/news/uk-investigatory-powers-act-default-surveillance-devices-privacy
[2] https://web.archive.org/web/www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2023/07/21/apple-threatens-to-pull-facetime-and-imessage-from-the-uk
[3] https://web.archive.org/web/20230809125823/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65301510#2023-08-09T12:57:48+00:00

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Perhaps this varies by server, or perhaps it's changed since I signed up. When I signed up, I connected an identity server and then needed to go through a few extra steps to enable discovery by email address and phone number. IIRC my identity server did not support phone numbers at the time.

I greatly prefer service-specific usernames over phone numbers, and that's a huge point in favor of Matrix. And I agree, Signal is ass-backwards when it comes to multiple devices.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Ok, now seeing what you mean, yes it may be thought of as 2 steps, because you really need to choose a server (or accept the default recommendation of your HS) and then add your info there, but mentally I just think of it as 1, because to me it feels like a single unit.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Ok, now seeing what you mean, yes it may be thought of as 2 steps, because you really need to choose a server (or accept the default recommendation of your HS) and then add your info there, but mentally I just think of it as 1, because to me it feels like a single unit.