I would be very wary of Signal. Often obscured, but it's a fact it gets most of its funding from the US government, specifically the CIA which got it off the ground in the first place.
Open Whisper System, the company that developed Signal was funded w/ seed money from Radio Free Asia, a CIA cutout which was associated w/ the CIA backed South Korean Moonie cult in the 70s, doing anti-communist propaganda, and they continue that mission today, as a spinoff funded through the USAGM.
Based on what I’ve seen, it was confirmed it was funded by the OTF but is now running out of money and posted about their costs. OTF is not a government organization but is rather an independent nonprofit. Any links to the CIA that I’ve seen haven’t been confirmed by multiple sources.
In this 2021 fluff piece for the. WSJ they account for 1.3 million in funding through a RFA tech fund: last I heard, through publicly available sources that sum goes upwards to 3 million. Moxie then founds Open Whisper Systems to develop Signal. https://archive.is/7uLsN
Would you recommend something like Session? Last I checked, Session was less stable and less user friendly, which is why I typically recommend Signal for most people.
I don't know Session. In general, I avoid all of the apps. And I know people will do what's most convenient for them. Which is why I only suggest caution, and specifically that we should not accept that any tech platforms are 100% secure.
As someone in tech, I know that nothing is 100%. However, Signal and other encrypted messaging is absolutely necessary nowadays, even for stuff as common as telling family where you are if you go out for a few minutes. Nothing is impenetrable, but people need slightly safer ways to communicate
Signals connections suggest its used mainly for influencing international audiences but with the kinds of things this admin is doing to USAID etc, I would just be wary. I find it very credible that Signal has built in back door that could potentially be used against domestic resistance.
I suggest keeping the most significant planning done in person as lowtech as possible, w/ no "paper trail". No phones
But that's probably a bit much for most people who will use apps to organize mutual aid and demonstrations across the country. Just be cautious whether it's Signal, Telegram etc.
Another promising encrypted messaging app is Session. It was originally funded by the OPTF, an Australian nonprofit. It’s now “run” by the “Session Technology Foundation.” I say “run” because Session is technically decentralized and open source. It’s not as robust as Signal, but it’s promising.
Session Technology Foundation is Swiss based, which is country that has become a haven for other privacy apps due to its robust digital privacy laws. If you absolutely want the most privacy, go with Session. If you want encrypted messaging that may not be as secure but is popular, go with Signal.
Comments
But that's probably a bit much for most people who will use apps to organize mutual aid and demonstrations across the country. Just be cautious whether it's Signal, Telegram etc.