4 ms·

> I get it’s not end to end encrypted but that’s not what I am asking for with telegram - just a decent messaging app that makes it easy to remain anonymous (no

> I get it’s not end to end encrypted but that’s not what I am asking for with telegram - just a decent messaging app that makes it easy to remain anonymous (not sharing phone number)... Big thumbs here to TG: I don't use WhatsApp. Never installed it, never will. TG is not just about "not being FB": the UI is really cool and the synch between several devices (say phone and laptop) is flawless. Now... You wrote "easy to remain anonymous" but AFAICT you cannot register a TG account without a phone number? Or can you now? As in: can you only download the desktop app and do all your messaging from you computer, without ever installing anything on your phone and without ever giving out a phone number for verification?

bo0tzz 5y ago
AFAIK you do have to use a phone number to sign up with Telegram, but you never need to expose it to other users. I assume that's the kind of anonymity that OP means.
- eduhecateaway 5y ago
  That doesn't hide your identity from a government that wants to arrest you for unapproved speech. If you're an LGBTQ user in many countries, you might want more anonymity than a "please don't show this to other users" button.
  - rmbyrro 5y ago
    In theory one could use disposable sim cards, but they're easily traceable and even if you rotate the cards very frequently, it'd still be easy to pinpoint who and where you are. The logistics is also infeasible. But I wouldn't trust TG on that area either. If a government really wants to, they can certainly exploit encryption flaws in the TG protocol and get you. Not as easy as tracing SIM cards, but definitely possible and within govs reach
kylehotchkiss 5y ago
The sync is so great, especially if you're trying to message with in-flight wifi. In-flight wifi usually only works on one device at a time which means you can't use Whatsapp from your iPad or laptop on the plane. You do need a phone number to register (I use my google voice number), but you can select who can actually see it on your profile. When you join groups, it isn't exposing it to others unless you add them as contacts - and even then you can disable from sharing with those contacts.
mimimi31 5y ago
I think they meant anonymous with respect to other users. With Telegram you can create a username and be contacted through that without revealing your phone number. As far as I know that's not possible with WhatsApp.

bo0tzz 5y ago

AFAIK you do have to use a phone number to sign up with Telegram, but you never need to expose it to other users. I assume that's the kind of anonymity that OP means.

eduhecateaway 5y ago
That doesn't hide your identity from a government that wants to arrest you for unapproved speech. If you're an LGBTQ user in many countries, you might want more anonymity than a "please don't show this to other users" button.
- rmbyrro 5y ago
  In theory one could use disposable sim cards, but they're easily traceable and even if you rotate the cards very frequently, it'd still be easy to pinpoint who and where you are. The logistics is also infeasible. But I wouldn't trust TG on that area either. If a government really wants to, they can certainly exploit encryption flaws in the TG protocol and get you. Not as easy as tracing SIM cards, but definitely possible and within govs reach

kylehotchkiss 5y ago

The sync is so great, especially if you're trying to message with in-flight wifi. In-flight wifi usually only works on one device at a time which means you can't use Whatsapp from your iPad or laptop on the plane. You do need a phone number to register (I use my google voice number), but you can select who can actually see it on your profile. When you join groups, it isn't exposing it to others unless you add them as contacts - and even then you can disable from sharing with those contacts.

mimimi31 5y ago

I think they meant anonymous with respect to other users. With Telegram you can create a username and be contacted through that without revealing your phone number. As far as I know that's not possible with WhatsApp.