Ask HN: Any messaging app that is both e2e encrypted and support backup/export?

2 points by fchu 4 years ago | 3 comments

I recently switched to a new phone, and realized that all my messaging apps either:

- saves all messages unencrypted on the provider's servers: it makes it easy to restore on a new device, but the provider has full access to your messages (eg Telegram, Facebook)

- has e2e encryption, but somehow makes data migration too complicated or almost impossible (eg Signal, Whatsapp)

Does anyone know of a messaging app that does both well? If not, any reason it can't exist? (eg data is stored encrypted on the cloud, but you can use your private key to decrypt and restore on any new device)

byoung2 4 years ago |

I guess it is economics. If the company is paying to store your data, they want unencrypted (or decryptable) access to it to use the data to make money. If they are storing it encrypted (and not decryptable), then they are not able to monetize your data. If you are also not paying them, they have no incentive to invest resources building migration tools. If there is an app out there with e2e encryption and easy migration, I bet it is paid.

sova 4 years ago |

Let's start one via IPFS. How can we improve this to have fast delivery? Maybe a client application and centralized server for the "buddy list," AIM-style. Yellow Submarine. We All Live in One.

Thoughts?

ggm 4 years ago |

Signals export/import "just worked" for me. Is it possible the best path out here is to help critique it for improvement?