Has anybody had experience using Telegram for Hobbying?

[Masalic]

I actually came across a provider whos best way to contact them is via telegram. I found this rather interesting because telegram messages are encrypted, its headquartered in dubai, and messages and chatlogs can be deleted. Making it really safe and secure for things such as this.

Has anybody tried using telegram for hobbying and how did it go?

[pertpvyztrzv]

I wish they would use ANYTHING besides SMS.

Signal, whatsapp (not great but still better than being on my phone bill), snapchat is too much stupidity and spam.

I had one that used Telegram - it was nice for a change. It's not always private, but as long as it's not easy to get (like from a PI or police), I don't really care.

One provider had her Signal listed, but she stopped using it and never responded. Have to go back to SMS with her.

I use a (or more) google voice number. It's easy, doesn't show on phone bill, says it deletes stuff forever, but it's google, so you never know. I delete just in case phone falls into wrong hands. If they get a court order, I probably have bigger things to worry about.

Google Voice is regular SMS so I don't have to explain to someone that may or may not be technical, what to use and how to install / use something different.

The one big issue that sucks is that providers probably keep all their emails and sms on their phone. If the phone is looked at by someone or LE, if you're in their contacts, it's not going to end well.

[Masalic]

Originally Posted by pertpvyztrzv

I wish they would use ANYTHING besides SMS.

Signal, whatsapp (not great but still better than being on my phone bill), snapchat is too much stupidity and spam.

I had one that used Telegram - it was nice for a change. It's not always private, but as long as it's not easy to get (like from a PI or police), I don't really care.

One provider had her Signal listed, but she stopped using it and never responded. Have to go back to SMS with her.

I use a (or more) google voice number. It's easy, doesn't show on phone bill, says it deletes stuff forever, but it's google, so you never know. I delete just in case phone falls into wrong hands. If they get a court order, I probably have bigger things to worry about.

Google Voice is regular SMS so I don't have to explain to someone that may or may not be technical, what to use and how to install / use something different.

The one big issue that sucks is that providers probably keep all their emails and sms on their phone. If the phone is looked at by someone or LE, if you're in their contacts, it's not going to end well.

Another thing to ask if using such things to communicate for this hobby would we be able to talk more freely or would we still need to stay mum about anything directly related to sex?

[GhostRiderYYZ]

Originally Posted by pertpvyztrzv

I wish they would use ANYTHING besides SMS.

Signal, whatsapp (not great but still better than being on my phone bill), snapchat is too much stupidity and spam.

I had one that used Telegram - it was nice for a change. It's not always private, but as long as it's not easy to get (like from a PI or police), I don't really care.

One provider had her Signal listed, but she stopped using it and never responded. Have to go back to SMS with her.

I use a (or more) google voice number. It's easy, doesn't show on phone bill, says it deletes stuff forever, but it's google, so you never know. I delete just in case phone falls into wrong hands. If they get a court order, I probably have bigger things to worry about.

Google Voice is regular SMS so I don't have to explain to someone that may or may not be technical, what to use and how to install / use something different.

The one big issue that sucks is that providers probably keep all their emails and sms on their phone. If the phone is looked at by someone or LE, if you're in their contacts, it's not going to end well.

Another good thing about Google voice and the email associated to it is this:
You have the login info in your head or in a safe place (or in the hands of a trusted person) you get pinched... you call your friend to get you a lawyer and to "clean" your account. AKA they log in and delete the Gmail account, which kills the google voice # and the SMS texts... test this.. figure in 15-20 minutes it is ALL gone.

[Masalic]

Originally Posted by GhostRiderYYZ

Another good thing about Google voice and the email associated to it is this:
You have the login info in your head or in a safe place (or in the hands of a trusted person) you get pinched... you call your friend to get you a lawyer and to "clean" your account. AKA they log in and delete the Gmail account, which kills the google voice # and the SMS texts... test this.. figure in 15-20 minutes it is ALL gone.

Yeah I would hope the entire point of using something other then SMS is to keep it from getting to this point in the first place.

[pertpvyztrzv]

Originally Posted by GhostRiderYYZ

... test this.. figure in 15-20 minutes it is ALL gone.

How can you really test this. You trust Google to actually delete something when you say 'Delete'??? I would think the only way to really test, is to get a court order or a warrant.

If Google says 'nothing there because he deleted it' or would it be - "Here you go, he deleted everything so it took us an extra second to gather." I'm not trusting that.

There are several 'zero trust' (encrypted in transit and in storage so even employees can't see) chat apps. But it's an extra step and seems complicated to some.

Telegram is good, Signal is easy, What's app is easy. I like Mega.io (storage and chat), but everyone in the conversation must be on the same app, so it's hard to standardize.

Signal used to be able to use regular SMS between non-signal people, but not any more.

[Lespaulmankc]

I use WhatsApp, which is encrypted, to text and talk with a former UTR who is back in Africa now. It seems to work pretty well.

[Anonymous01]

Signal. Facebag (Whatsass) and Gargle both sell all of their metadata to anybody who's willing to pay. Do a search for my previous posts on how much metadata reveals about you.