PCC - Communication

Emily Ross
(Neil Shephard)

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👇👇👇 slackline.github.io/pcc-signal 👇👇👇

Purpose

  • Proposed that the club switch from WhatsApp to Signal for primary mode of official communication between members.1

XKCD : Standards

Peak Climbing Club Communication

Historically…

WhatsApp

  • Privately owned by Meta
  • For profit (if not paying you are the product)
  • Messages end-to-end encrypted but “metadata” isn’t
  • Code base is closed source (no scrutiny)
  • WhatsAppp shares all your contacts with Meta
  • Excludes those who are concerned about privacy
  • Security breaches (original paper)

Metadata Tracked

  • GPS Location
  • IP Address
  • Who you are messaging
  • When you are messaging
  • Communities/groups you are in
  • Your contacts details

Signal

  • Privacy Focused
  • Owned by non-profit Signal Foundation
  • Tracks nothing

  • Meta, for Profit
  • You are the product
  • Can’t hide phone number
  • Tracks Metadata
    • Interactions
    • Location
    • IP Address
    • Usage
  • Builds user profile
  • Politically motivated

  • Signal Foundation, non-profit
  • Voluntary Donations
  • Hide phone number
  • Tracks nothing

WhatsApp v Signal

Aspect
Ownership Meta (private for profit) Signal Foundation (Non-profit)
Funding Model You are the product Voluntary Donations
Group Chat
Community
Private Phone Number
Hide Contact Details
Tracks Interactions
Tracks Location
Tracks IP Address
Builds User Profile
Political Motives

Challenges to Switching

  • No “community” feature in Signal
  • I’ve nothing to hide
  • Network Effect

No Community Feature

Problem

  • No “Community” feature

Solution

  • Group chats have individual managers
  • New members are told about all groups and contact manager to sign up
  • Bonus Dedicated Prospective Members without need to be in “Community”

I’ve Nothing to Hide

Problem

  • Some people don’t care about being tracked
  • Privacy should be default (but it’s not 😒 )

Solution

Network Effect

Problem

  • Resistance to change
  • Not another app!
  • No one uses it
  • Two concurrent systems

Solution

  • Already have lots Apps installed
  • Could be a dedicated “PCC” messaging app
  • Either…
    • Switch & close down WhatsApp community
    • Don’t switch

Challenges to Sticking with WhatsApp

  • Excludes those concerned about privacy
  • Advertising (see also here)
  • On-going invasion of privacy
  • Prospective Members can’t join community

Questions about Signal