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Don't Use Google Allo (vice.com)
At its developer conference on Wednesday, Google announced Allo, a chatbot-enabled messaging app. The app offers a range of interesting features such as the ability to quickly doodle on an image and get prompt responses. Additionally, it is the "first Google" product to offer end-to-end encryption, though that is not turned on by default. If you're concerned about privacy, you will probably still want to avoid Allo, says the publication. From the report: Allo's big innovation is "Google Assistant," a Siri competitor that will give personalized suggestions and answers to your questions on Allo as well as on the newly announced Google Home, which is a competitor to Amazon's Echo. On Allo, Google Assistant will learn how you talk to certain friends and offer suggested replies to make responding easier. Let that sink in for a moment: The selling point of this app is that Google will read your messages, for your convenience. Google would be insane to not offer some version of end-to-end encryption in a chat app in 2016, when all of its biggest competitors have it enabled by default. Allo uses the Signal Protocol for its encryption, which is good. But as with all other Google products, Allo will work much better if you let Google into your life. Google is banking on the idea that you won't want to enable Incognito Mode, and thus won't enable encryption.Edward Snowden also chimed in on the matter. He said, "Google's decision to disable end-to-end encryption by default in its new Allo chat app is dangerous, and makes it unsafe. Avoid it for now."
The description of Allo in this /. post actually talked me into using it. Well done.
"Use Google Allo with end-to-end encryption enabled"
What biggest competitors have it enabled by default? Maybe WhatsApp. You don't think Facebook/skype/etc are scanning your messages? No one really knows about WhatsApp either. It isn't open source so you have no idea what it is really doing.
I am far more concerned with writing quickly and accurately than I am with anyone ever going to court to get my communications.
Yes, because people who break into houses are the same kind of people who have elite hacking skills.
Unless you're rich and/or famous, NO ONE CARES about your texts.
Don't Use Google Allo
Well that's a bloody condescending headline. Tell me why you think I shouldn't, or tell me that someone notable like Snowden has said not to use it, but don't tell me what to do.
I'll use Google Allo if I want to*, end-to-end encryption or not.
*I don't want to, but that's beside the point!
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
encryption is not usually user friendly. You have to *do something* or several somethings to configure it to make it work.
This is not inherently true. A device can collect ambient randomness (from keystroke timing, thermal jitter, low bits of camera pixels, etc.), and use that to generate keys, without any action from the end user. There is no good reason that we cannot have effective end-to-end encryption in a user transparent way that even grandma can use, without even realizing she is using it.
If I am talking to someone about buying a Subaru and maybe ordering a pizza, I don't mind seeing advertisements for Subarus and pizza.
If you care whether your texts are encrypted, you're either paranoid or cheating on your wife.
... or someone who has never read a history book. You may have no need for encryption today, but if someday in the future you realize you actually do need it, it may be too late.
"If you care whether your texts are encrypted, you're either paranoid or cheating on your wife. "
Following that logic: If you post as AC, then you are either paranoid or afraid of what you wrote.
Usually when I'm looking for info on Subarus and Pizzas, I get ads for Fords and Chinese food, because that's how targeted advertising works.
The difference is that with AC, there is no way to correlate posts and put a person's statement in context. It is impossible to know if this is someone that is always rude, calling people names just because they disagree without any counter-argument - or if this a person who actually adds some thoughtful insight to a topic. There is also no way to know if this is a shill, or if this person has a particular axe to grind. There is also no way to know if someone makes a statement and then follows up with a bunch of others agreeing with their own post.
That said, I do agree with the premise of your question. You don't know who I am. But at least you can look at my other posts and get an idea whether I am trying to make a serious point or just being a jerk or shill.
I am a moderator on a different forum - one that requires full real names. It is amazing how thoughtful and polite people are when they have to personally stand behind the statements they make.