this post was submitted on 15 Jul 2023
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The Signal messenger and protocol.

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https://signal.org/

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Not sure if any of you have encountered the same resistance to using Signal. Some of my cousins refused to use Signal because they are already using "too many chat apps" (e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Telegram, Line, Snapchat, etc.). To them, Signal will just be another chat app among their numerous other chat apps. I understand that jumping between so many messaging apps imposes some kind of cognitive and maintenance burden. What are some ways to convince such people to use Signal?

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 year ago (4 children)

"This is the only one I use. If you need to reach me either do it on that or email me." Worked for my family.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I second this. I made an effort a while back to cut all Meta products out of my digital life. And this was the reasoning I gave to friends and family as well. Especially as I had no interest at all to use more than one messaging app.

Worked pretty well.

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

Good for you. Now do Alphabet.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Did that years ago already! No Google Account and using other search engines.

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

So because you have no interest in using more than one app you coerce others into installing yet another messaging app?

That says something about you and it's not positive...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

"Coercion involves compelling a party to act in an involuntary manner by the use of threats, including threats to use force against that party."

Perhaps you should kindly explain why you think threats are involved in this case?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's obviously not what they're saying. Stop being so negative towards strangers on the Internet.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Stop forcing people to adapt to your choices?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Well, that surely is a two way street, ain’t it?

Others staying on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger etc and expecting me to be available there is the same „forcing people to adapt to your choices“.

Everyone has their choice, they can adapt another messenger or not. No hard feelings either way. Regarding my data and privacy the choice is mine, and if I don’t want my data in the hands of Meta and Alphabet that is my call to make. No matter how others deem that decision.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Yup, did the same but suggested SMS instead of email.

Never told them to stop using things like WhatsApp (that's generally counter productive anyways), just that I did due to privacy reasons. Most where fine with SMS, it's on everyone's phone and nowadays so cheap most phones plans include it unlimited (it's all about data bundles and speed here). A year later almost everyone is on Signal after all. Easier with group chats and sending pictures, or when someone is abroad. As as soon as they got some convinience from it they installed the app. A few I still SMS. Also fine.

As long as you're not a jerk about it, my experience is that it's not thát big of a deal.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am part of a group chat with very old friends who live far away and whom(?) I don’t see regularly at all. They all communicate regularly on WhatsApp and I don’t feel like having the „power“ to say what you suggest.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I thought this was true a couple months ago. Until last month I all of a sudden found out fb messenger no longer allows you to sign out from the app. I'm not sure when the change happened but this pissed me off.

I then started DM folks one by one that I normally talk to to convince them to switch and kept bothering them until they caved in. Then I rebuilt the same groups on Signal. Now most of the folks I converse with on a regular basis all uses Signal group chats.

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

Yup this is the only way. And kind of makes a point that one is truly enough, although nothing is wrong with a lil healthy competition.