Normie messaging app versus email

beantaco:

My thinking is a bit like: assume Line is malicious enough to harvest as much data from all users as possible ,

If we’re assuming the above, then this cannot be possible:

beantaco:

how can it be used in the safest way possible?

So:

beantaco:

I didn’t consider Proton/Tuta password protected email, thank you for proposing it, but in my experience this has never worked

I can’t speak for anyone else but it’s always worked for me. If I am sending an e-mail to someone who doesn’t have Proton, I typically set the password (pre-communicated via other means) and an expiration date (if it requires one). The “Reply securely” is the only option that shows to the recipient. The only downside is you have to remember to password protect each and every time, which isn’t ideal.

beantaco:

In addition to clicking on a link and entering a password being too difficult/scary for many normies to handle

I’d like to think this isn’t the case. If my 83 year old grandparent can put a password into a password field online, I think most should be okay.

beantaco:

they either can’t access messages at all (browser issue perhaps?)

I’ve not encountered this, so I’m not sure?

beantaco:

or leak contents of messages when replying

I’m not sure how on this either. Perhaps the ‘Subject’ line, yes. Not exactly ‘leaking’ but that isn’t e2ee. So I tend to not use Subject lines in some cases. Also, per above, you’ll have to add the password each time and remember to do that…!

beantaco:

I will propose it to my friend if we stay with email, and see what happens should we test it.

Good luck. Let us know here as I’d be keen to hear if it’s viable and any stumbling blocks.