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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."
"Use Google Allo with end-to-end encryption enabled"
I am far more concerned with writing quickly and accurately than I am with anyone ever going to court to get my communications.
The ONLY solution to hot mic technology, is to nip it in the butt before it takes hold.
The phrase is "nip it in the bud" - to cut it off before it flowers. Nip it in the butt, means something rather different. No bad, just different.
If only we could fall into a woman's arms without falling into her hands
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.
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.
You're conflating encryption and authentication. They're very useful together, but they both serve unique roles and each has value outside of their use together.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.