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by tcfhgj 1172 days ago
It isn't. It creates massive barriers for using e2ee
1 comments

I get where you're coming from but Telegram is objectively better than WhatsApp due to several reasons:

- Privacy controls for each user.

- No hard requirement for a phone number.

- Cloud encryption.

- Open Source clients.

- Telegram's track record.

- Business model not revolving around selling user data.

WhatsApp is a black box and nobody has any good arguments for it other than 'supposed' E2EE that nobody knows anything about. The fact that WhatsApp's T&C forbid you from even reverse engineering the obfuscated binaries and Facebook being the force behind WhatsApp, I'm still surprised that people take their E2EE claim seriously.

It's like me promising you that I'm not looking at you, while I stand facing you, right behind you.

> - No hard requirement for a phone number

Only if you pay

> - Open Source clients.

Mautrix/WhatsApp

> - Telegram's track record

Which is?

> WhatsApp is a black box and nobody has any good arguments for it other than 'supposed' E2EE that nobody knows anything about.

With Telegram you have a guarantee that it is not E2EE in group chats and single chats if you don't opt into a way worse UX/features.

> - Business model not revolving around selling user data.

True for Whatsapp as well, it's funded by business accounts and perhaps other parts of facebook

> Mautrix/WhatsApp

I'm sorry, but that's not a good example. It doesn't even count as a legitimate client.

> Which is?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blocking_of_Telegram_in_Russia

https://hongkongfp.com/2020/07/05/exclusive-telegram-to-temp...

https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3yavb/russia-blocks-telegra...

https://sensortower.com/blog/hong-kong-protests-app-download...

> With Telegram you have a guarantee that it is not E2EE in group chats and single chats if you don't opt into a way worse UX/features.

You're saying this as if you have a guarantee that WhatsApp's E2EE is 100% correct. At least with Telegram, I know what data the app is collecting, where it's going and how it's being stored on the device.

> True for Whatsapp as well, it's funded by business accounts and perhaps other parts of facebook

Assumption again.

> I'm sorry, but that's not a good example. It doesn't even count as a legitimate client.

why not? After all the client uses the multi-device API like the official client does

> You're saying this as if you have a guarantee that WhatsApp's E2EE is 100% correct.

I am not saying it like that. I am explicitly saying that with Telegram you have the guarantee that it is not E2EE, while there at least exist the possibility of WhatsApp being E2EE.

> Assumption again.

An observation, not assumption. WhatsApp wants to see money for business accounts: https://business.whatsapp.com/products/platform-pricing