Each week, I’ll share a new way for you to stay connected with your friends and family. This Friday, I’m featuring a round up of the more popular chat apps. In a world of social distancing, digital and virtual have had their moments in the sun. We’ve learned a few things during these days of shelter-in-place. People are social animals and even introverts have expressed a need to connect during these last two months. And there is a such a thing as virtual hangout burn out.
I’ve witnessed this first hand. In our relationship, I’m the socialite who enjoys going out and hanging out with lots of people, my wife on the other hand is an introvert. The idea of being on virtual Zoom and Google Hangouts with people was once appealing, and now she can’t muster the energy to be in a virtual meeting after working a full week on the computer.
Today’s post is a dissection of chat apps for those who want to connect, but do it in a disconnected way. I know what you’re thinking. Why do I need a chat app when my phone’s text message app is perfectly fine. I, who still has unlimited text, thought the same thing. Unfortunately, everyone doesn’t have unlimited text, and what do you do about people who have blue bubbles? Also, what if if you want to send more intimate or personal communications with your friends and others. Your text messaging app may not be the best option. Each app in the round up is featured because of its privacy bona fides. Each app has end-to-end encryption, the ability to host single or group channels, and ability to send mix mode text.
NOTE: I was dragged kicking and screaming into each one of these apps. I’m a very utilitarian person and because of various reasons, I was asked to download each one of these apps to engage in clandestine communications.
GroupMe
This is probably the first chat app I was dragged into. By my sister and cousins no less. GroupMe is a free app that is now owned by Skype. GroupMe features the ability of creating multiple channels with designated channel owners and admins. Admins can add, mute, and remove rowdy users from channels at their whim. The app works with your SMS service as well and if you’re in multiple chats, the notifications can quickly become annoying. The mute feature is really effective here. Inside chats, you can like individual comments, share photos and videos, and specific hyperlinks display as previews in the chat stream. GroupMe also provides automation through a bot called GORT which admins can install. GORT can be used to onboard new channel members, make announcements, and other cute things. GroupMe could be considered, part chat, part social network with the ability to create polls, add calendar events, and view the most popular posts and gallery images. GroupMe is account protected and features a desktop option. I can’t even share what goes down in the GroupMe chats I’m in.
If you’re about that Facebook life, WhatsApp may be for you. The chosen chat and call app for the International Playa Playa Jet set, WhatsApp features end-to-end encryption, the ability to share media, and the ability to call anyone around the world. WhatsApp’s e2e capabilities combined with the potential of over 1 billion potential Facebook users has raised the concern of many government entities. In my usage, I’ve sent and received messages while traveling internationally to business users and personal users. WhatsApp is more utility than GroupMe, but it has a Status Update feature for posting updates amongst your friends. WhatsApp uses an account mechanism for security and also features multi-factor authentication.
Signal
There isn’t a more secure and private app for paranoid users that Signal. This is another chat app I was coerced into using. Signal uses an account mechanism for opening the app and has a desktop component. The app features end-to-end encryption, screen lock, screen security, registration lock, sealed senders, and censorship circumvention. I wouldn’t be surprised if they released an edition that would reset your device to factory defaults at the tap of a button. One additional feature that is amazing, is that Signal allows you to relay your phone calls through their servers which masks your IP address from the other person you’re calling. It’s hard to think of a service more locked down than Signal. Signal could be considered the Tor communicator for mobile. Edward Snowden uses it.
You may be asking, where’s Facebook messenger, kik, and others. We’re now living in a time when people are heavily using digital communications in an era where more organizations want to eavesdrop. I chose to highlight these apps because of their security, privacy, and intent on keeping your communications, your own. Thing is…most of the people I’m in constant contact with in these chat apps, I’m also in touch with using regular old iMessage. When the convo turns risqué we take it to these apps.
Dear Reader, I wish you a happy and safe weekend. Now that our Nation is beginning to open up again, I encourage you to stay healthy and safe. If you can, try your best to engage society per the guidelines of public health officials. In many cases, we’ve all been affected by COVID-19. We’re in this together. Be well.