I'm a fan of the matrix protocol. But even if matrix doesn't take off, I'm sure - in fact very hopeful - that there will be something federated that replaces sms and instant messaging platforms.

Well, it's still an easier way to share higher resolution images and videos with other non-technical users.

Most non technical people I know can send emails.

RCS was a steaming pile of shit from the moment it was first announced. No instant messenger platform should be developed in this age without E2EE.

https://www.privacytools.io/software/real-time-communication...

I do think that Matrix really has the chance to stand out from the competitors here.

Particularly in regard to: https://www.privacytools.io/software/real-time-communication...

The incentives just aren't there for what you are asking for.

I'm wondering why you think that would happen. Like, really, why do you expect that?

The goverment in Germany is fighting tooth and nail to keep Telegram and Signal from having actual end-to-end-encryption, trying to ensure that the government has some kind of side channel that makes it possible for them to decrypt everything in case of federal investigations.

So I'd love that but what is your reason to believe in actual federal instant messaging of any kind?

It's technically possible, which makes a good implementation difficult to stop. Look at cryptocurrencies for an example of the struggle governments have to control such things.

Such as.... email?

E-mail doesn't have end-to-end encryption either. PGP doesn't count.

Why doesn't pgp/gpg not count? Because it's too difficult to set up? Do you really trust an encryption with automatically generated, non-exchangeable keys?

That said hardly anybody I know still uses e-mail for private communication.

Why doesn't PGP count?

Because it's PGP not email providing the encryption. Say we said PGP does count as e2ee for email, why doesn't it count for RCS? What about every protocol, I can just PGP sign messages on them so aren't they all e2ee?

Ideally when talking about e2ee it's not an optional opt in either but that's a whole different debate.

TLS isn't end-to-end encryption?

Not in email. End-to-end here means that noone except sender and reciever can read the content. With tls and email you send it to a server which can read it, not to the enduser.

No. End to end means that plaintext exists only at the two ends (initial sender, final receiver) of a communication.

a total pain in the ass to really secure.

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2018/06/e-mail_vulner...