Privacy @lemmy.ml umami_wasabi @lemmy.ml 1 yr. ago

How to persuade people around me switch to Matrix/Element?

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

83 comments

Just a reminder, telegram is NOT secure at all. Telegram is NOT end-to-end encryptes by default, and they are not disclosing this fact peoperly, which makes them untrustworthy and not a tool against growing online surveilance
- Sure you have to enable E2EE but they never say they use E2EE by default, they’re not advertising at all anyway. Saying it is "not secure at all" is a bit of a reach. They have proven they don’t share data with governments and again, you can use E2EE if you want
- Honestly, WhatsApp is more trustworthy than Telegram.
Permanently Deleted
- I can't confirm this. For me it runs smooth and without bugs. Calls with Element are sometimes better than calls with my mobile carrier.
  
  But I don't have the technical knowledge to understand why a backend in python is a bad thing. Maybe your experience with Matrix is biased because of this knowledge?
  
  Permanently Deleted
- I'm planning to use Conduit[1] which is written in Rust instead of Synapse. I belive this will consume less resources but have no idea will it run smooth or not.
  
  [1] https://gitlab.com/famedly/conduit
  
  Afaik conduit is even more beta than denderite, personally I would not use it after seeing how buggy experience friends had with it
  
  This paragraph is why you won't convince friends and family to use Matrix. It's still too technical for non-technical people.
Look, I once got everyone I know to switch to matrix (Riot, before element) and they depracated the client, made everyone redo their encryption keys, it was a huge mess. Nobody will ever listen to me ever again about a messaging app because of what new vector did with riot.

Matrix is too janky for people. Use something else. Simplex, signal, whatever.

Beyond that, the key is breaking this "one more app" mentality. Why is it so hard to have an app on your phone? These people would install the Starbucks app for a single free milkshake in a heartbeat. This expectation that everyone and everything can be done in one app is absurd, and it's marketing by the big companies to lock people in when there's no reason for it. your phone runs apps. What's the big deal?

And that starts with you. make yourself available on multiple different messengers as possible. Don't say "I use matrix", youre being inflexible. Use everything that doesn't collect your contacts and spy on you. Use telegram, but tell people telegram isn't encrypted. I personally have matrix, XMPP, session, signal, simplex, telegram, and I even have a discord but I never use it. I fall back to email if I have to. Be flexible if you expect others to be, be available to communicate with in as many ways as you can privately to incentivize people to switch, give them options and let them pick.
- Matrix is too janky for people. Use something else. Simplex, signal, whatever
  
  This is the gist of it, yes. Setting up a Matrix account has several steps (e.g. backups, identity server, discovery) that are each complicated enough on their own to be deal-breakers for the vast majority of users. It's just a non-starter for anyone who's not a techie. It's been around for many years but still has an absolutely terrible UX.
  
  I wouldn't dare to recommend it to anyone I know because I do not have the patience to walk them through it and explain it. It would cost me time, energy, and most importantly it would cost me social trust. Nobody would take me seriously anymore if I recommended something that is so user-unfriendly.
  
  Signal is a pretty easy sell, on the other hand. It's simple, it's secure, and it works like any other messaging client. It's not 800 steps to set up backups and discovery. I would prefer to use a decentralized platform, but I'm not investing into Matrix because IMHO, it has no future in the mainstream. I have a Matrix account but I don't use it talk to anyone I know IRL, and I doubt I ever will.
  
  Signal is only easier because it entirely ignores logging in on multiple devices. Maybe for some it is ok, but for me this is a huge dealbreaker, not an advantage.
  If you dont set up key backups (an optional feature), its the same thing: with Signal, if you delete the app or lose your phone, all your messages are gone, along with your contacts that werent saved in your phone contacts and uploaded to a cloud service. If you use Matrix as you do with Signal, it works the same: you delete it, messages are gone. This is the default. But, you have the option to keep your messages.
  
  Identity server? You dont have to use that, and I don't either. You are not obliged to set up being discovered by outside identifiers. Like I don't want people to find me by my phone number, as I don't want to use my phone number, for anything, at all, and so I didn't do that.
  I see that on Signal, you always find people by their phone number, which you are required to hand in. On Matrix, you find people either by their handles (~username), or their phone number or email address if they have handed those in, voluntarily.
  So with an indentity server you can make yourself discoverable by your phone number, and you must use one if you want that.
  But I think there is a better solution (on the long term, at least): to forget about phone numbers altogether, when possible. Why would this be feasible? It is possible to store the handle in your phones contacts, with the standard "instant messenger" field. Contacts then are usually sharable in messaging apps, or with a QR code, and a lot of software generally understands this format, so you could use this to make your handle known.
  By the way, identity servers and discovery is the same step, not 2 different one.
- I personally have matrix, XMPP, session, signal, simplex, telegram, and I even have a discord but I never use it.
  
  I have Matrix, Session, Singal, Telegram, and Discord. Telegram is saldomly used and Discord is just subscribed to a bunch of game communities. Signal is threatened by OSB and IPA, which announced by them that they will get out of the UK market if those are in effect. Then left Matrix and Session, both not used by anyone.
  
  I would like to be flexible but the reality is there are not much choices. Only XMPP which I don't have, nor natively supports E2EE which varied by clients.
  
  Look into JMP.CHAT. it's XMPP, with a phone number that is gatewayed to PBX for voice, and can send/receive SMS.
  
  From what I understand, many large tech companies will leave UK if those laws are passed. I highly doubt it will happen, and if it does, I bet it will take about five seconds for the government to realize how vastly they fucked up.
Permanently Deleted
- I wish I can be this definitive but I couldn't. Those connections are still needed, and most of the time is I need to talk to someone rather than the opposite.
  
  Which is why I don't like that advice. These connections are valuable, and people might want to talk to you but have other reasons why they won't end up using the privacy focussed option only. It's very hard to switch fully to something like Signal or Matrix, and this isn't unique to privacy focussed chat apps either.
  
  For me I talk to close friends and family on Signal, and that works because those are the people I have personal discussions with. For other friends that don't really use Signal consistently, I've found that they still use Signal when they want to talk about something private. It's a process, and I'm happy to put in a little bit of work while people I care about switch over.
  
  Permanently Deleted
- and all the others say, "if you want to talk to me I'm on Facebook"
  for them, problem solved
  
  Permanently Deleted
I set up a home server with a litany of bridges.

I show them all my chats from multiple platforms in one app.

They ask me for an account.
- Got a how to for #1? Sounds like you hid a lot of complexity in that 1 step.
  
  Matrix ansible playbook
  
  You can also try to find an instance that already does bridging. For Finnish citizens, pikaviestin.fi is a good option, but they don't provide accounts to non-finns.
  
  But no, I do not have a guide for setting this up. But you set up a homeserver, with a domain you can commit to, and once that is working, configure whatever bridges you like using their respective docs.
  
  And yes, it is complex. Matrix is the most complicated thing I've ever self-hosted. But it wasn't untenable, and it's been very low maintenance.
- Nice move
You could buy them a drink to install it. That's how I got my family onto Signal. I also got my GF onto Element, but she's also obligated to put up with my shit
- Goals🤩
  
  As some would phrase it
- I wish it can be that simple.
- getting people drunk and then installing foss apps on their phones
Easier to get new friends and family who are already there
- Sad but true. However, my whole family are not there. They are the primary contacts of mine, with some friends in the mix.
Sorry to break it to you, but Matrix is (for all practical purposes) run by a UK based company. If you are concerned about UK legislation, they are one of the worst to switch to as they will likely have little choice but to comply.

Better use XMPP, which is fully independent of any single company running everything behind the curtains.
- Matrix is a protocol
  
  Which is 100% controlled by the Matrix Foundation (and not an international standard like XMPP), which in turn is near 100% controlled by a single UK based company (Element/New Vector). Which makes the distinction between the company and the protocol absolutely moot. I wish it was otherwise.
I'm in the process of trying to convince my company to switch to Matrix. I've setup a test server and the execs are tepidly giving it a whirl.

The problem is, we use Teams, Microsoft has its proverbial foot in our door, people are used to Teams and don't really want to switch, and the company doesn't care enough about privacy and data sovereignty to overcome the inertia and the learning curve.

They listen politely to my arguments and they agree that it would be better if Microsoft didn't get all our data, but ultimately they really don't care at all.
You don't persuade them. They've already made their decision. Now you have to make yours. Their reasons for not wanting to switch are just as valid as yours for wanting to.

So, you either switch and accept that some of the people in your life don't actually care enough to come with you, or you're the one that has to adapt to multiple apps to communicate with others. That's really what it boils down to. Most people don't care about the matter, and there's a segment of people in most of our lives that don't care about us if there's any inconvenience involved.

Some of them made alternate suggestions, which means they're willing to go through some inconvenience for you, just not the specific inconvenience of having an app that only you and they will be using.

Despite now having storage space for multiple messaging apps, people resist the idea of having more than whatever arbitrary number they've decided doesn't work. In some cases, that number may be one. And the truth is that remembering who is connected via what app/service is a pain in the ass if there's enough people in your life. Some people can't handle that memory issue and are just going to refuse outright out of necessity.

So, stop trying to change their minds and seek compromise. If they're willing to switch to telegram, you can at least have some degree of encryption, so go with that for anyone that's expressed willingness. Let that core group become the reason for anyone else to join in.

Unless you just want to play hardball and refuse to communicate with anyone on anything but your choice. There will be some that cave and join in. But you'd be amazed how many people and which people don't really want to talk to you enough to do so. But you'll have a small group of people that are now using it with you. You'll have to help them get set up, and be prepared for the inevitable tech support you're volunteering to provide, as well as the need to guide them through the learning curve of it.
"Installing APP does not require you to switch to it nor asking friends and family to use it. What it does is allowing them to reach out to you in a private way. By installing it you respect and support their choice of avoiding BAD_APP."

On the sidenote: Just recommend Signal. It uses phone number as identifier, easy to grow by using phone book, has good track record when glowies have a warrant and most importantly it's stable. It has flaws (no sms, not saving chat history) but there are no other alternatives available yet that beat signal for normies.
- They are using Signal. I want to switch to Matrix/Element because the new laws might make Signal (and other viable chat apps) unavailable in the UK anymore.
  
  Seems like you're fucked anyway then. This has to be solved politically.
Bro I can't even convince them to join me on Signal... It even syncs contacts w/ mobile number so it's just a matter of downloading a stupid app and you're set... I think one day I'll be brave enough and just disappear from whatsapp.
- I basically forced everyone to message me on Signal & Telegram cause fuck Meta (people my age in Canada desperately wants to talk on Instagram for some reason)
- I did this a few years ago. I set my status message to "Starting on [date] I'll be available only on Signal/sms." and that was it. A few frieds/family members moved, most of them not, but I don't miss it a bit.
- Don't remind me of Signal. I spent lots of effort to convince them to switch, and ultimately defeated, not the app but me, because of a protest that people move toward a more secure communication system i.e. Signal, not more private.
[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
If they don't want to then don't continue trying to persuade them. Chances are they don't care about privacy anyway, and even if they do, everyone has their own personal preferences.
I've actually looked at matter most as an alternative
- I would if they didn't lock SSO behind a paywall.
Not a lot really. Also, until element gets easier key management for encryption i wouldnt suggest it. I understand public/private keys and session verification and still can never restore matrix from backups without it saying "waiting for message" and it never decrypting even though all the keys imported fine. Its a PITA
- Yeah, what's with that?
  
  It is always a pain in the ass trying to explain that, but it never seems to get fixed
  
  The biggest issue with matrix is that while the protocol is open and servers and clients can be built around it, the element client and synapse server are developed so quickly that nobody else can dream of keeping up. That is its own kind of vendor lock-in.
i tried and i failed. not because my friends didn't want to switch, but because the software is hillariously bad. problems with the encryption left and right, smaller instances having downtimes multiple times a week (what's the use of a federated service if anyone only uses the same one server?), buggy clients - after a few months we shut it down and moved to threema for groupchats.
I've been using Matrix/Element for around three years. I have there my family, a couple of friends and a couple of services that use it for alert, information. I host a non-federated server on a VPS in Germany. My approach has been simple: do you want to chat with me? Use Matrix. Otherwise, call me or send me emails.

If privacy is important for you, then make it a priority.
Definetely check out SimpleX Chat before you try to convince them about Matrix. SimpleX is actually the best when it comes to privacy and especially metadata-protection, which I heard Matrix handles especially badly.

Also, on SimpleX you have no permanent user identifiers at all and users only use (optionally) self-hostable servers to forward messages, not to register an account there.
- SimpleX Chat
  
  Thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look at the whitepaper later. Still, I want one that I can host in case the UK law came into effect. While privacy and security is prarmount, a service in my control is also one of the objective.

You've viewed 83 comments.