Hello fellow c/privacy members.

I’m not new to privacy related things but I had a hard time persuading my family members and friends to switch to Matrix/Element. It is a reponse to UK’s Online Security Bill and Investigative Powers Act that may soon in effect.

While it is just a preperation and planning in case those actually became law, I already face resistance from them. When I ask them would they switch, their first reaction is “Why one more app?” then follows with “That’s cumbersome.” or “I don’t want to learn a new app.” and suggest something more popular like Line, Telegram or Discord. Sometimes they would “Install WhatsApp because X is on there and he/she won’t install one more app just for you.”

What can I do to persuade them to use a new platform? Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I think I should elebroate more of what Online Security Bill and Investigative Powers Act does[1]. As far as I understand, OSB will break E2EE by require scanning data on client device, like CSAM but much more generic. IPA requires companies to submit security funcition to the government for approval before releasing, and disable such feature upon request. Apple[2], Single[3] and WhatsApp made the announancment of exiting the UK market totally or partically if two were signed into law.

[1] https://web.archive.org/web/thenextweb.com/news/uk-investigatory-powers-act-default-surveillance-devices-privacy
[2] https://web.archive.org/web/www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2023/07/21/apple-threatens-to-pull-facetime-and-imessage-from-the-uk
[3] https://web.archive.org/web/20230809125823/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-65301510#2023-08-09T12:57:48+00:00

  • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
    1·
    11 months ago

    1. I set up a home server with a litany of bridges.

    2. I show them all my chats from multiple platforms in one app.

    3. They ask me for an account.

  • poVoq@slrpnk.net
    0·
    11 months ago

    Sorry to break it to you, but Matrix is (for all practical purposes) run by a UK based company. If you are concerned about UK legislation, they are one of the worst to switch to as they will likely have little choice but to comply.

    Better use XMPP, which is fully independent of any single company running everything behind the curtains.

      • poVoq@slrpnk.net
        0·
        11 months ago

        Which is 100% controlled by the Matrix Foundation (and not an international standard like XMPP), which in turn is near 100% controlled by a single UK based company (Element/New Vector). Which makes the distinction between the company and the protocol absolutely moot. I wish it was otherwise.

        • umami_wasabi@lemmy.mlOP
          0·
          11 months ago

          I guess I can just remove such code if they ever implement it as the home server is open sourced (Synapse). Plus other implementation exists (Conduit). Still, I will have a look on XMPP and see if it meets my needs. As others points out, I shouldn’t persuade but adapt thus I need bridges to connect other services, which Matrix isn’t lack of.

          • EngineerGaming@feddit.nl
            0·
            11 months ago

            I preferred xmpp because it’s easier to host and consumes MUCH less RAM than a Matrix server. idk how both of them scale, but I only have myself and a few friends and family on my XMPP server and works fine.