Instant Messaging: Difference between revisions
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| Matrix || Optional (MEGOLM) || Yes || Depends on server/client || Matrix user IDs<br>timestamps<br>IP addresses<br>Presence<br>Everyone present in the room | | Matrix || Optional (MEGOLM) || Yes || Depends on server/client || Matrix user IDs<br>timestamps<br>IP addresses<br>Presence<br>Everyone present in the room | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Signal || Yes (signal protocol) || No || AGPL-3.0 (server), GPL3 (client and protocol) || | | Signal || Yes (signal protocol) || No || AGPL-3.0 (server), GPL3 (client and protocol) || timestamp of last connection<br>contacts (hashed)<br>date of registration | ||
|} | |} | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
===XMPP:=== | |||
* https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0313.html | |||
* https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0446.html | |||
* https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0084.html | |||
===Matrix:=== | |||
* https://wire.com/en/blog/matrix-not-safe-eu-data-privacy | |||
* https://hackea.org/notas/matrix.html | |||
* https://forum.hackliberty.org/t/why-we-abandoned-matrix-the-dark-truth-about-user-security-and-safety/224 | |||
* https://gist.github.com/subpub/cbaa02ae2ec56ff19e63ea7126a78b7f | |||
===Signal:=== | |||
* https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/1013.pdf | |||
Revision as of 20:42, 11 July 2025
Instant messaging (IM) is a technology that allows messages to be transmitted instantly. This article will focus on comparing features and privacy concerns between IM solutions.
IM Solutions
IM can be found in social media apps like Discord, Instagram, Whatsapp, Telegram and many others but its usually thru the use of a protocol. The most common protocol for IM is XMPP, though other options exist like IRC and WebRTC.
Privacy Concerns
On every IM solution there will always be metadata stored on the server about their users and messages, and some might not even have end-to-end encryption, which makes it harder to have a private conversation over the internet.
Software Comparison
| Software | E2EE | Federated | License | Metadata |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XMPP | Optional (OMEMO/PGP) | Yes | Depends on server/client | JID of who send and who received the message message content (can be encrypted) timestamps IP (depends on server) Client name Presence Message history (depends on server config) |
| Matrix | Optional (MEGOLM) | Yes | Depends on server/client | Matrix user IDs timestamps IP addresses Presence Everyone present in the room |
| Signal | Yes (signal protocol) | No | AGPL-3.0 (server), GPL3 (client and protocol) | timestamp of last connection contacts (hashed) date of registration |
References
XMPP:
- https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0313.html
- https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0446.html
- https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0084.html
Matrix:
- https://wire.com/en/blog/matrix-not-safe-eu-data-privacy
- https://hackea.org/notas/matrix.html
- https://forum.hackliberty.org/t/why-we-abandoned-matrix-the-dark-truth-about-user-security-and-safety/224
- https://gist.github.com/subpub/cbaa02ae2ec56ff19e63ea7126a78b7f