this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2024
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Privacy

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Is it safe ? Does it do everything it says it do ? If so how is it popular yet ? Like does it have any catches or something ?https://f-droid.org/packages/org.briarproject.briar.android/

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[–] Qantumentangled@lemmy.zip 24 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I've been using it for comms with some friends and family when we're out of conventional network range. It works great, the pairing process is a bit of a barrier for securitu-muggles, but it works perfectly.

My only annoyance is that I can't run the mailbox program on a regular Linux/docker server.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Strange, isn't it? I wish they would set up mailboxes in a way that would allow me to host it for a few family members like I would a Jellyfin server

Edit: Here's a guide on how to run it as a service

https://retiolus.net/posts/briar-mailbox-server-cli-installation-guide/

[–] rivvvver@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

its possible to run it on a raspberry pi tho

[–] Qantumentangled@lemmy.zip 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

AFAIK it's only available as an android application. But I haven't looked into compiling it locally or anything. It might he possible.

[–] rivvvver@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 years ago

https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar-mailbox

go here and scroll down to "Server CLI version".

ive been running it for a few months now and it works great

[–] jet@hackertalks.com 17 points 2 years ago (2 children)

It's great, it does exactly what it says it does. Including using slot of battery power.

[–] drwho@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago

Killed my brand-new phone's power cell in about six hours. Kind of impressive, really.

[–] leanleft@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Uses alot of battery power.

[–] ISOmorph@feddit.de 10 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
[–] mp3@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I even used it while traveling with friends. We couldn't have our seats together in the airplane and the capability to chat and shitpost over bluetooth securely was kinda nice without annoying everyone.

My biggest annoyance is the inability to migrate a profile and the existing chats across devices, even though that's good security-wise.

[–] catacomb@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I've used it for the exact same purpose, great minds think alike. It's perfect for that scenario given there's no internet.

I just don't use it much otherwise because apps like Signal are far easier to move my friends and family on to and they're more than good enough. The metadata privacy Tor would provide would give me a lot of peace of mind but I know it'll never happen.

[–] lemonuri@lemmy.ml 9 points 2 years ago
[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 years ago

Solid choice as long as you don't mind the trade offs. If you are actually going to use it setup a mailbox.

Honestly Briar feels more like a social media app that a encrypted messager.

[–] Shiftless@infosec.pub 2 points 2 years ago

Briar was nice for chatting when you only have Bluetooth connectivity. Messaging otherwise is subpar

[–] EngineerGaming@feddit.nl 2 points 2 years ago

I wish I could, but desktop application is limited in functionality and I don't know how to make the mobile app function properly (Waydroid doesn't allow bluetooth use). I don't have a mobile device I can make as private as my desktop, so I would not want to have my chats there.

[–] pewgar_seemsimandroid@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

i use element for briar, with element you can have a federated discord

edit: i meant matrix

[–] THE_MASTERMIND@lemmy.today 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Isn't briar its own thing ? I maybe wrong.

[–] drwho@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] THE_MASTERMIND@lemmy.today 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

So what is that user talking about ?

[–] AzzyDev@beehaw.org 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

i think they’re talking about Matrix, which is completely different.