Hoeveel vertrou jy ontwikkelaars van toeps?

Ek het nog nie die vraag gevra, hoeveel vertrou jy die ontwikkelaars van toeps.

Ek het wel al geskryf dat ek verstom staan oor hoeveel mense dit blindelings vertrou. In 2021 het ‘n bom wêreldwyd gebars toe WhatsApp sy gebruikers dwing om toegang tot hulle persoonlike inligting te verkry. Mense is gewaarsku, maar steeds het WhatsApp baie gebruikers, wat hulself oortuig met redes soos a) Al my vriende gebruik dit, b) besighede gebruik dit en so meer. Dit is wel waar, ek is daaroor verplig om WhatsApp te gebruik. Maar, hy is op ‘n aparte foon waarmee ek nie banksake doen nie. Een wat ook nie oral saam met my in die kar is nie …

Toe vra ek sommer netnou vir ChatGPT Plus om WhatsApp, Telegram en Signal te vergelyk. En die masjien bevestig my navorsing. Signal is die veiligste toep. Hier is sy antwoord in Engels, ek het vraag in Engels gestel:

When comparing the safety of messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, it’s important to consider several aspects: encryption, data collection practices, ownership, and historical vulnerabilities. Let’s delve into each:

Encryption:

WhatsApp offers end-to-end encryption for messages and calls, meaning only the sender and receiver can read messages. However, metadata (data about the communications) is not encrypted. The encryption is based on the Signal Protocol.

Telegram offers two types of chats: cloud chats and secret chats. Cloud chats are encrypted in transit, but they can be accessed by Telegram since they are stored on their servers. Secret chats offer end-to-end encryption and are only stored on the devices involved in the chat.

Signal uses end-to-end encryption for all messages, calls, and metadata by default, utilizing its own Signal Protocol, which is considered one of the most secure encryption methods available.

Data Collection

WhatsApp collects and shares certain user data with its parent company, Facebook (now Meta), including phone numbers, interaction frequencies, and device information, raising privacy concerns.

Telegram collects less data than WhatsApp but still requires a phone number for registration. It stores contacts and user IDs, though it pledges a strong commitment to user privacy.

Signal collects the least amount of data, limited to the user’s phone number. It’s designed to collect as little user data as possible, enhancing privacy.

Ownership and Transparency

WhatsApp is owned by Meta (formerly Facebook), a company with a controversial history regarding user data privacy.Telegram is independently owned and has a reputation for supporting free speech and privacy, but it has faced criticism for its approach to content moderation.

Signal is developed by the non-profit Signal Foundation, which is focused on privacy and security. It is open-source, allowing anyone to inspect its code for security vulnerabilities.Historical VulnerabilitiesAll platforms have faced security vulnerabilities in the past, but both WhatsApp and Signal have a strong track record of fixing such issues promptly.

Telegram’s security, especially for cloud chats, has been questioned due to its custom encryption method, which some experts argue is less secure than the industry-standard methods used by WhatsApp and Signal.

Conclusion

Signal is widely regarded as the safest app among the three, due to its use of end-to-end encryption by default for all communications, the minimal amount of data it collects, its open-source nature, and its ownership and governance by a non-profit organization focused on privacy and security.

WhatsApp offers robust end-to-end encryption but falls short on privacy due to its data sharing practices with Meta and its collection of metadata.

Telegram provides flexibility with its encryption options but has been critiqued for its security model (especially for cloud chats) and its collection of some user data.For those prioritizing privacy and security, Signal is the recommended choice.

However, the best app for any user ultimately depends on their specific needs, including factors like user base, features, and personal data handling preferences.

Maar, dit is nie waaroor ek wil skryf nie. Ek is nogal bekommerd oor die porre (prompts) wat WordPress tans vir ons gee om ons aan te moedig om meer te skryf.

Kyk byvoorbeeld hierdie ene van vandag:

Mag interessant wees, mag skrikwekkend wees, afhangende van die hoek waaruit mens daarna kyk. Waarom sal die ontwikkelaars mens wil aanmoedig om meer oor jou daaglikse roetine te skryf? Ek sou dit beslis nie doen as ek jong kinders in die huis gehad het nie. Dalk ook nie as ek ‘n ouer mens is wat in die groep val wat op plase aangeval word nie. Maar, ek wil toe mos weet presies hoeveel inligting die toep oor sy gebruikers insamel …

En dit is wat Appstore verklap:

Die eerste vier goed pla, as daar by die datastoor ingebreek word, weet die diewe heeltemal te veel van gebruikers, veral as hulle die hele tyd gepor word om sulke persoonlike inligting te deel wat presies vertel wat hulle elke oggend doen. Dan weet ek ook nie waarom dit toegang tot joh soekgeskiedenis en blaaigeskiedenis wil hê nie. Dalk net om te weet watter porre aandag sal trek, sonder om in ag te neem dat die inligting wat gebruikers dan goedsmoeds deel hulle in gevaar kan stel.

Ek mag dalk sommer net te veel seker maak dat ek nie te veel persoonlike inligting deel nie. Daarom gaan ek die volgende paar dae kyk watter porre gegee word …