[SWE] Swedish government wants a back door in Signal
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What part am I missing? They have the source code of their server and the different apps on their github.
There isn't any proof that the app you download is built exactly from the source code on github. There could be an intermediate step to inject whatever they want before packaging it for the app stores.
There's also the conspiracy that Signal has been compromised since the beginning as they received initial funding from the CIA. Not sure exactly where I stand on this, but it is plausible.
The protocol itself is open source though so someone could make an open source service with that.
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I like you Sweden but you can go fuck yourself in this particular scenario
Classic right-wing government doing dumb right-wing government shit. Hopefully we can flush these ghouls out by next election. They barely managed to cross the line last election, and through their deep incompetency have been continuously falling in the polls.
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Shithole called hungary... had no choice at this point, my sister is trans so we kinda escaped that place. Thankfully hungary is eu so it was easy to move here. Pretty nice so far apart from even this place slowly turning to the right but every country is doing that right now...
Been to Budapest. Beautiful town and very nice people there. That's where I learned that Victor Orban is also called 'The Victator'.
I don't think Sweden is going to turn too much to the right, but I agree that the current trend is concerning.
Get crime under control again and I'll think we'll see a left turn. Sadly the people who benefit from the current crime wave are also in power, but I still have faith in most of our politicians. They're not as bad as they could be, as exemplified by other "leaders".
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There isn't any proof that the app you download is built exactly from the source code on github. There could be an intermediate step to inject whatever they want before packaging it for the app stores.
There's also the conspiracy that Signal has been compromised since the beginning as they received initial funding from the CIA. Not sure exactly where I stand on this, but it is plausible.
The protocol itself is open source though so someone could make an open source service with that.
There isn't any proof that the app you download is built exactly from the source code on github.
In principle, this statement holds for any app that you don't compile yourself.
There are at least two Signal versions: The official version, the one from the Guardian Project. And then there is at least the fork Molly.
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What part am I missing? They have the source code of their server and the different apps on their github.
They still have a tone of open-source stuff. It's just that not everything is open-source anymore. Meaning, since everything is not public, we have no way of knowing if this private piece of software is what they say, or anything else actually.
So, trust a company because they say they are not evil? I'll pass
From Signal Blog 01 Nov 2021:
Improving first impressions on Signal
We build Signal in the open, with publicly available source code for our applications and servers. To keep Signal a free global communication service without spam, we must depart from our totally-open posture and develop one piece of the server in private: a system for detecting and disrupting spam campaigns.
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Classic right-wing government doing dumb right-wing government shit. Hopefully we can flush these ghouls out by next election. They barely managed to cross the line last election, and through their deep incompetency have been continuously falling in the polls.
We're in the middle between elections, the difference between the blocks is often even greater at this point so the right is doing fairly well unfortunately. And with the ongoing and continued focus on security and defence that is right where they feel at home. Additionally, the opposition is completely silent for some reason, just like the democrats in the US. Silence doesn't win elections, silence from the opposition means approval for the rulers.
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Signal has already said they'd "leave Sweden first".
But what does that mean today, when the Internet is non-local, and I can run my own VPN with Wireguard or Tailscale?
It probably won't be in the Play store when in Sweden, yes you'll still be able to work around it.
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You can just install the app from apk if that should happen
My guess is signal leaving sweden means they would block sign-ups from swedish phone numbers. It would be very effective as most people won't bother jumping through hoops to get a number from a different country.
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But what does that mean today
The first thing you need to understand is: if any government is demanding a back door to a messenger in the name of law enforcement, they are lying. It is simple as that.
Everybody spending more than 10 seconds on the subject knows that there are hundreds of alternatives out there. And somebody actually needing a way to keep illegal activities hidden will just switch over to something else.
There is only one reason to push for such an idea (and always for the popular messenger options of course): Wanting to surveil ordinary citizens that don't think much about which platform they use. Because everyone else will be gone from the platform in the blink of an eye.
So this means exactly nothing for you if you want to keep using Signal. Because they won't stop you and they won't care. You are not the target if you actually think about consequences. They aim at the majority that will just move one over time when Signal isn't available in the domestic app store anymore... hopefully to an option that will not resist demands for an backdoor when the time comes.
Well, yea, we know that.
But saying they'll block anything without a back door is meaningless, as anyone can run their own VPN these days, and a government attempting to block it is not very smart, as it'll take a lot more effort for them to constantly try to track down the connections.
China can do it because they control all exits from the country network, and will take aggressive pysical action against someone bypassing their controls. And yet people still maintain connections that The Great Firewall can't block.
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That just means they don't offer their service there officially and don't offer support
Yea, meaningless (not to criticism Signal, good for them for saying so). Just meaningless from Sweden government perspective - it's not like they can simply block Signal. They could, but it would take a lot of effort, and it would be a continually losing game. As I mentioned, I can run a Wireguard/Tailscale network at home, or on a VPS not in Sweden. Good luck figuring out what traffic is in my stream.
It's feasible, but the effort on their part increases non-linearly with every person that does this.
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