If you haven’t left Telegram behind yet, time to do so.
The CEO of the company, Pavel Durov, posted the following today (archive link with full message):
This summer, Telegram users will gain access to the best AI technology on the market. Elon Musk and I have agreed to a 1-year partnership to bring xAI’s chatbot Grok to our billion+ users and integrate it across all Telegram apps
This time, it’s not a hoax, this is really happening.
At this point, Telegram is on a race to the bottom. Use Signal instead, it doesn’t suck like Telegram.
Edit: if you want to come to the comments to:
- Complain that Signal isn’t your use case
- Complain about how “bad” Signal is
- Try to chip in with suggestions of random messengers
- Look for some kind of debate on messengers
Think really hard about it and skip it, it’ll make everybody’s day (including yours) better.
Comments
37 responses to “Yet another reason you should use Signal”
@b I agree that Telegram sucks, but I’m sorry but “Yet another reason you should use [an entirely different app that doesn’t have the same features or same purpose that the app you’re talking about]” doesn’t really help.
Yeah we desperately need a FLOSS Discord and Telegram alternative, but Signal is unfortunately just not even close to that.
@luana @b what does Telegram even do that we don't have on XMPP? I mean, remove all the stupid gimmicks like chat themes and it's just cloud-synced chats, either 1:1 or groups
@Reiddragon @b Never used XMPP, but comparing Discord and Telegram to Signal (including both discord and telegram bc they both fit the same use case-ish): Groups with multiple channels/rooms (telegram has it similar to discord), public chats, new users joining can get full message history, direct link to messages, granular permissions for users (discord is better at this tho), those one-sided transmission “groups”(?) (only Telegram), not fucking loosing all your messages if you move devices (damn even WhatsApp has e2ee backups, at this point Signal is just being an asshole for not adding it), actually mentioning when a message is forwarded and not OC (telegram even mentions the original sender if they didn’t disable this in privacy configs!), user roles (on Discord), a good profile page with links and stuff (on Discord), etc.
For any kind of public groups for communities, Discord and Telegram are the only real feasible options. Signal is in no way nearly close to that. Damn, even Matrix is closer to that but it still sucks and misses most features. But Signal isn’t even close to being a real Telegram or Discord alternative. They don’t fit the same use case at all.
We desperately need a Discord/Telegram FLOSS (and preferably federated) alternative, but that just doesn’t exist yet as far as I’m aware.
I don’t know much about XMPP, but at least the clients I found seem to not have any of that either.
If you’re using Telegram for one-to-one communication or small single-page groups then sure move to Signal (unless you like not losing all your messages when moving devices), but on that case is anyone really still using Telegram for that use case?
@luana @b ok first of all I need to make one thing clear: I don’t defend Signal for this, I’ve used it in the past and on every level it’s just shit
XMPP works perfectly fine for 1:1 chats, not sure about groups as I haven’t used it for that but from what I’ve heard it works decently well there, too
@luana@wetdry.world @b@b.j4.lc Maybe, but Signal is a good alternative, and for once one that actually has sound crypto + Mainstream appeal.
At what point exactly did we settle on every messenger has to be a everything social media app? Like we kinda lost focus here. I’m not happy with some of the still open isssues with Signal, but just being able to message friends is the bear minimum I expect of a messenger, and I feel like that is the most it should do anyways.
(And yes, I do think mainstream appeal is important if you want to get more people on it…)
@java @b The lack of features I mentioned on my other comment means Signal is unfortunately not a feasible option for big groups that have communities and need some organization, such as separate off-topic and support channel, separate channel for bureaucracy subjects and etc.
If you’re 1-on-1 or a small single-page group then sure, signal works (as long as you’re fine with losing all your messages if you move devices), but for big communities you usually have on discord and telegram (does anyone actually uses telegram for 1-on-1 chat?) it’s just doesn’t fit that use case.
There’s that Polyphony protocol being developed, idk much about it but hopefully it actually works out and becomes a good Discord/Telegram alternative.
@luana@wetdry.world @b@b.j4.lc Point taken on the groups, but I doubt anything will really replace discord or telegram without some kind of commercial backing and hardcore marketing. :/
@luana @java @b #simplex is #FLOSS quantum-resistant #e2ee decentralised (relay network), reportedly easy self-hosting, hosts rooms with thousands of users or just a few, member permissions, custom room permissions and unique to simplex: no user ids, each dm or group it basically creates a new cryptographic id
@ambiguous_yelp@social.coop @luana@wetdry.world @b@b.j4.lc Oops, accidentally read session and was about to rant.
I understand the point of simplex, but I find it radically unusable for most users, like I do see the point of it, I would ideally prefer achieving the (targeted) security, but I also just need to message my friends and I doubt they are willing.
Also, I can’t find much on how the group messaging works, the protocol docs don’t really mention it, or I couldn’t find it. /shrug
But considering that simplex uses a sort of anonymous-queues system for delivering messages, I fear it may be the same stuff that Threema (AND SIGNAL!) does, being just sending a message to each user.
Beyond the scalability issues of that approach, it also just lets you send different messages to different users.
But yeah, I couldn’t find that section, so this is speculation.
@java @luana @b ur right it does send per users and this does currently hurt scalability, they want to fix this and are implementing smt they call superpeers I think its like a hybrid system where some users in a group can forward messages to other members
@java @luana @b we settled on that in 2010, from what it seems.
@b of course telegram would partner with trans-tataAI
@b It's just not possible to keep pushing my housemates from app to app. Unfortunately, the reality is… I'm stuck having a less than ideal app around.
@b of course telegram would partner with trans-tayAI
@b a reason to not use Telegram is NOT a reason to use Signal
@b network effect is just too strong
@b Signal is my favorite messenger of the bunch! I've even gotten some family members to use it. 😄
Yeah, it strikes an excellent balance of usability and sanity, while remaining open and with enough eyes on it.
@b right??! every once in a while I use XMPP but I don't trust it for anything confidential.
Yeah, great article
@b Our clan dumped WhatsApp several years ago and migrated to Signal. Excellent experience all around. No regrets.
Un jour, je ferai en sorte d’avoir des articles traduits
@b it's great how everyone glances at all the problems, shrugs & keeps using telegram
The usual
@b network effects are a thing, but people just swearing & carrying on as normal
@b
I've had trouble getting some people to use Signal with me because it's gotten famous here in the US due to certain government officials using it & they now associate it with our government and don't trust it. 😔 I had to argue with my husband that WhatsApp is the one not to trust. Got him to switch but no one else yet. 🤦
Yeah, it’s sad the name got dragged through the mud like that
@b
Quick reminder that xAI runs on methane due to regulation loopholes
Poisoning a whole neighbourhood in the process https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/06/elon-musk-xai-memphis-gas-turbines-air-pollution-permits-00317582
@b
A black neighborhood no less, if you want evidence of racial discrimination then there is nothing better to underline the disparity. xwx
@b related to nozhing I like your profile pic. Gremlin lookin ass cat just knocked your cup off za table on purpose
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
@b but how else would i have a conversation with grok? it's not like it has its own website or anything… (seriously, can't we go back to using messaging platforms for, you know, messaging?)
@gork is this true
@b@b.j4.lc @jajms@social.vivaldi.net Awawaa ^w^
@b
Two Nazi bars cooperate to be even more Nazi.
@b … ew.