
Battle of the secure messaging apps: how Signal beats WhatsApp - willvarfar
https://theintercept.com/2016/06/22/battle-of-the-secure-messaging-apps-how-signal-beats-whatsapp/
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CapitalistCartr
I've got both on my phone. None of my contacts use Signal. Not one. Most use
Whatsapp. The network effect has to trump all. The security that gets used
beats that which doesn't.

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eganist
So I asked this question from Bruce Schneier last DEF CON, and his point was
exactly the same, effectively that using secure messaging apps that hardly
anyone uses stands out, whereas using ubiquitous secure messaging apps helps
you blend in and makes security more effective.

If Signal wants to win, it needs to make a compelling case to _lay users_ for
usage over apps like whatsapp and imessage. It hasn't yet. It made the
technical case for _us,_ but it hasn't made the "what's in it for me?" case
for lay users.

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chopin
I don't find the meta data arguments for preferring Signal convincing. All we
have is the assurance to not store meta data, but this is not easily
verifiable and may change any time unbeknownst to users. This is a bit better
as we know that WhatsApp does store meta data. However in the era of NSL's and
gag orders that doesn't mean much.

Having the implementation open source is a win, though.

