Are there any (preferably FOSS) RCS/SMS/MMS apps as an alternative to Google Messages? I can’t convince anyone to switch to signal and would like to at least use an app that I trust. Eventually I’ll be moving to a privacy-respecting mobile OS so I’ll need an SMS app to run without Google Play Services, but I don’t want to totally miss out on RCS. Are there any alternatives? Is this even possible?

  • @PeachMan
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    411 months ago

    The rest of the world has adopted other cross-platform standards, like WhatsApp in Europe. It’s only US users that are stubbornly married to SMS texting, so this is a uniquely American problem.

    • mintyfrogOP
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      1111 months ago

      Yes, but also WhatsApp has its own set of privacy issues.

      • @PeachMan
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        211 months ago

        Sure, but my point is that there are plenty of “standards” that already exist. We don’t need a new one, we just need to use them.

        • mintyfrogOP
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          611 months ago

          Sorry, I should have been more clear. For my threat model, I’d rather use SMS than WhatsApp

          • @nodiet@feddit.de
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            111 months ago

            That’s an interesting threat model. What about apps like signal though? Surely they are preferable to SMS?

    • SokathHisEyesOpen
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      411 months ago

      WhatsApp is also owned by the Zuck. I’ll never install a Meta owned app unless I’m forced to.

      • @PeachMan
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        111 months ago

        My point wasn’t to say WhatsApp is good, my point is that there are a hundred alternatives that are better than SMS.

    • southsamurai
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      311 months ago

      It is not uniquely American, it just isn’t a European issue. The U.S.is not the only place that defaults to sms.