Messengers Guides
Messengers are where we communicate the most, its of utter importantance that these are private and not scams. Telegram is an app that has before given user data out which means it is not good enough for us. What is good enough is apps like Signal, SimpleX, Briar and Session. None of these know what you talk about and thats how it should be. Messengers like signal also have a note function which comes in really handy
The Signal app is a world renown privacy and security tool that is end-to-end encrypted. What this means is that nobody else than the sender and the receiver can see the text within the messages. The messenger became mainstream when Elon Musk tweeted “Use Signal” which temporarily crashed the Signal servers.
Installation
• Open Aurora Store. (You can also follow the link above to download directly from their own webpage)
• Search for Signal.
• Click on it.
• Click on Install.
• Let it download.
• Click on Install on the popup.
Your Signal Pin
• Within the signal app, click on the little picture in the upper left corner
• Go to “Account”
• Enable “PIN reminders”.
• Enable “Registration Lock”.
• Go back
Signal & Phone Numbers
• Click on “Privacy”.
• Go to “Phone number” and set both to “Nobody”.
• Go back
While we don’t like the fact that users sign up with a phone number, it has improved over the years. Signal used to rely on phone numbers to add contacts, but that is no longer the case. Nowadays, we can use usernames, which means there are no longer any reasons to keep phone numbers public.
Finish up
• Block unknown to prevent spammers.
• Set disappearing messages to a default timer of 24 hours or less.
• Enable “Incognito keyboard”.
• Click “Advanced”.
• Enable “Allow relay calls”.
• Enable “Show status icon”.
We always have a back-up chat app and I think it should not be Signal and then a Signal fork. Instead We have decided that our back-up should be SimpleX Chat. SimpleX Chat is a great alternative to Signal. It has some great features similar to Signal even if the app is slightly more in the advanced end, its not a big deal since it comes with functions that are basically the same. When the app is first setup, you wont need to worry about the advanced part anymore, it works like most other messengers. If you know Signal or WhatsApp then you know how to use this too. And here is the good news, we will help you set it up.
Profile Settings
- Click the little profile picture in the lower left corner.
- Go to “Settings”.
- Go to “Appearance”.
- Disable “Reachable app toolbars”.
Chat Preferences
- Click the little profile picture in the upper left corner.
- Select “Chat preferences”.
- Enable “Disappearing messages”.
- Set “Delete after” to 1 week.
- Set “Delete for everyone” to always.
Privacy & Security
- Go back.
- Click the profile picture in the upper left corner.
- Click on “Privacy & Security”.
- Enable “SimpleX Lock”.
- Set “Lock mode” to any you prefer. (Passcode is safest).
- Set “Lock after” to 3 minutes or less.
Additional Security Features
- Go back.
- Enable “Protect app screen”.
- Enable “Encrypt local files”.
- Enable “Protect IP address”.
Contact Preferences
- Under each contact, click on the contact’s photo.
- Click “Contact preferences”.
- Enable “Disappearing messages.”
- Set “Delete after” to 12 hours or less. (I personally use 8).
Adding Contacts
In this preferences tab you can also decide if some contacts should be denied certain things. Sometimes you get a person from the internet and you prefer not to talk to them anymore, after all you can delete them if you don’t like them anymore and they wont know. This by the way is an excellent way of having internet friends on the phone instead of giving any real information out. To add a friend from the internet anonymously follow these steps:
• Within SimpleX click on the little pencil icon in the lower right corner
• Click on “Create 1-time link”
• Now share the link at the top of the screen.
Incognito Profiles
What this will allow you to do is create an incognito profile which means each contact get a different name of yours. After all this can come in very handy as you might have family who are on SimpleX who has your true account name. So you wont have to redo everything if you want to shake a friend who is causing trouble. Instead you can just delete the friend as they only had a 1 time link.
This is a secure messaging app designed for privacy and security like no other messenger. It uses a decentralized network, that allows users to communicate freely. Briar is particularly useful in environments where internet access is limited or monitored, as it can operate over local Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections. The app is of course end-to-end encrypted. It’s especially favored by activists and those in sensitive situations that need that extra security on their communication.
Download & Installation
- Go to F-Droid.
- Search Briar.
- Pick “Briar”
- Click Download
- Allow It to Download.
- Click “install” and then open.
Initial Setup
- Choose a nickname.
- Click on “Next”.
- Choose a password and confirm it.
- Click on “Next”.
- Allow notifications if you desire.
- Click on “Allow Connections” if you enabled notifications.
- Then click on “Allow”.
- And then finally click on “Create Account”.
Adding Contacts
Adding friends is much like on SimpleX, you use a link. So how do you add a contact then? There are two ways of adding contacts in Briar, local and remotely.
Remote
- For remote adding click the + at the bottom right corner.
- Then click on “Add contact at a distance”.
- After that copy the link and send it to the contact you want to add.
Nearby
- For nearby adding click the + at the bottom right corner.
- Then click on “Add nearby contact”.
- After that click on “Continue
- Then “Allow”
- And then present the QR-code to your contact.
Session is a secure messaging app designed for your privacy and security. It operates on a decentralized network, that allows you to communicate safely with your friends and family. You sign up without the need for a phone number or an email. The service is end-to-end encryption and is using the onion-routing protocol. This is why we recommend Session.
Download & Installation
- Go to F-Droid.
- Search Session.
- Pick “Session – Private Messenger”.
- Click on “Download”.
- Allow It to Download.
- Click on “install” and then open.
- Then click on “Open”.
Initial Setup
- Click on “Create account”.
- Choose a nickname.
- Click on “Continue”.
- Pick your notification preference.
- Click on “Continue”.
- Allow or disallow notifications.
- At the top of the screen you will see “Save your recovery password”.
- Click on “Continue”.
- Then click on “Copy” and put it within your password manager.
Other Settings
- After the initial setup make your way back to the start screen of the app.
- Click on the chat bubble at the upper left corner.
- Click on “Privacy”.
- Enable “Voice and Video Calls” if desired.
- Also Enable “Lock App”.
- Then Enable “Read Recipts” and “Typing Indicators” if desired.
