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Can I use Signal on my computer if I have a push-button phone? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 years ago by clemy@lemmy.world to c/signal@lemmy.ml

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Good evening,

I'd like my group of high school friends to use Signal to chat, but one of them uses a push-button phone on a daily basis. Nevertheless, she has a computer at home, and with this computer she previously communicated in the Instagram group. Hence my question: since she has a push-button phone capable of receiving SMS, can she use Signal with the desktop application for PC ? Thanks a lot! :)

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[–] KLISHDFSDF@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I'd personally recommend Element/Matrix over Telegram for secure/encrypted messaging.

Telegram doesn't do end-to-end encryption for anything unless you opt into it, negating any claims about privacy as everything is accessible to any Telegram engineer with enough admin rights by default (or hacker/state actor who might breach the network). Additionally, Telegram's end-to-end encrypted messaging is incredibly limited, almost by design to discourage it's use 🤔, as it doesn't work across multiple devices or even group messaging.

Lastly, Matrix/Element doesn't require a phone number, just an email, and works across Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and the web. I'll admit the UI isn't as "nice/polished" as Signal/Telegram, but its 99% there, improving all the time and does a whole lot more while actually being private.

[–] clemy@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Thanks for your complete answer ! I'm aware of Telegram's limitations, and that's why Signal appears to be a compromise between a private messaging service and an application that can be used by the general public. While I personally don't mind using tools like Matrix, my friends don't necessarily have a computer culture, so I'm afraid of losing them a little 😅 But thank you very much for your help! :))