For Group Chat, I always use WhatsApp or WeChat.
But I have a couple of people who refuse to install these Apps, so I have to send them in "Traditional" SMS.
I was able to send Group SMS to both of them (Have to enable Mobile Data).
However when they reply, it's one-on-one and hte other person dont see it.
Been struggling to google for an answer but to no avail.
Pretty frustrating…. Hope someone can shed some light here.
BTW, we are a mix of Android and Apple.
Thanks heaps!
MMS spec supports group convos
Android and iOS say they support it
https://support.google.com/messages/answer/9367099?hl=en
https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202724
I was able to send Group SMS to both of them (Have to enable Mobile Data)
Ah MMS will count towards mobile data, you'll need it on
Thanks. But my issue is not with sending, it's receiving….
Ah MMS will count towards mobile data, you'll need it on
Did you keep mobile data on?
yes its possible.
there is option to send to group or send individual
It’s not possible.
It is possible by way of WhatsApp, WeChat and others…?
Other alternatives are telegram, signal or discord
If they refused to use the more popular Apps ( WhatsApp, WeChat), cant see how they'd install these unknown ones sadly.
You asked if it was possible for it to be an SMS/MMS situation, i.e., not through a third party app.
Normally when people refuse to install third party apps like WhatsApp or WeChat it’s because of privacy/security/MarkZ… and these people tend to lean toward these “unknown” ones because they’re slightly more secure (read more of the below replies for exactly how secure).
No way I would install the spyware WhatsApp nor Chinese WeChat :/
Far far far more secure ones like Telegram, LINE, Signal, Discord, Guilded, etc etc
Chances are the well educated on security, whom are refusing to use the trash you are pushing, might happily use one of those :P
Telegram
By default, Telegram chats do not use end-to-end encryption, and nor does the messenger inform users about the secure chat option.
and it's homebrew crypto is a pile of shit https://eprint.iacr.org/2015/1177.pdf
LINE
Line suppressed content in China to conform with government censorship. Analysis by Citizen Lab showed that accounts registered with Chinese phone numbers download a list of banned words that cannot be sent or received through Line.
https://citizenlab.org/2014/04/line-censored-keywords-update…
https://citizenlab.org/2013/11/asia-chats-investigating-regi…
Discord
Not encrypted, centralised, proprietary software. SMS at least is federated.
Guilded, etc etc
Guilded is a VoIP, instant messaging and digital distribution platform designed by Guilded Inc. and owned by Roblox Corporation.
No encryption, centralised, proprietary software just like Discord.
Signal
At least has cryptography that isn't garbage and has a proven track record of not being able to divulge data.
Some what relies on the security promise by Intel of SGX though…
Chances are the well educated on security
hmmm
Encryption (or lack there of) of a message is not the same as usage tracking or data collection, but feel free to conflate and obfuscate that ;)
Got any proof that any of those apps sell or even collect user data?
Plenty of proof that facebook (WhatsApp) and WeChat (CCP) do ;)
Got any proof that any of those apps sell or even collect user data?
To advertise our services on Discord and other platforms. We are proud of the product we've built. We may tell you about our paid services and other features directly in the services and through our own channels, and we spend money advertising Discord on other platforms. As part of that, we use certain information to assist in the delivery of our advertising, to measure the effectiveness of advertisements for our own products, and to improve such advertisements in the future.
There is one you go look at the rest.
By your logic SMS is secure as in Australia there are limited cases carriers can look at sms by law and marketing isn't one.
By your logic
You have no idea of my logic, you just ass-u-me …
I was suggesting alternatives that Whatsapp/WeChat holdouts might be comfortable to install, that is it!
The rest is YOUR assumptions, conflations and interpretations ;)
@7ekn00: This you?
Encryption (or lack there of) of a message is not the same as usage tracking or data collection, but feel free to conflate and obfuscate that ;)
Got any proof that any of those apps sell or even collect user data?
@deme: Oh noes, I use word "security" instead of "data collection" in a quick reply!
Please assassinate me with your know-it-all knowledge because English is not my first language, and tell me exactly what I meant!!
@7ekn00: So like this?
Far far far [less data collection] ones like Telegram, LINE, Signal, Discord, Guilded, etc etc
https://line.me/en/terms/policy/
We will collect the following Personal Data:
● Information that you provide to us such as your phone number that you register at the time of creating an account, and profile information that you set at the time of using our Services
● Information related to your status of use of our Services such as the text, image, video and other contents that you post, and your access log
● In cases where you create a LINE account using an external SNS account, information collected from a third party such as the identifier of the external SNS account that we will collect from that third party
● Information related to you which is posted by other users such as an image of your face photo posted by your friend
● Information collected externally such as information to be collected via a LINE App plug-in installed in a third-party app, such as “Like”
● Public information containing Personal Data such as online news published on the internet
We will collect the following types of Personal Data in providing our Services. If you do not provide certain types of information such as your phone number which needs to be registered for using our Services, you may not be able to use all or a part of our Services.
@deme: Better than Whatsapp / Wechat that get name, dob, address, payment methods, etc, or are you shilling for the use of those?
@7ekn00: For the avoidance of doubt:
Whatsapp screwed up their implementation of the signal protocol by sending the group id to the server. The signal protocol uses the group ID as the group key.
Not encrypted, just like LINE has censored stuff.
To suggest using "Telegram, LINE, {snip}, Discord, Guilded, etc etc" because someone doesn't want to use Whatsapp or Wechat due to security… "data collection" is stupid.
That's like suggesting Equifax instead of Experian.
name, dob, address, payment methods
Thanks.
But they cant be bothered to use the more popular Apps ( WhatsApp, WeChat), cant see how they'd install these unknown ones sadly.
This isn’t an unknown app.
I suggest you and them have a look before dismissing it.
I have an android phone. When my GF does a group chat my replies go out as individual SMSs to each person in the chat. It confuses everyone.
There's plenty of chat apps to choose from. They both must have one in common. I wouldn't blame anyone for not wanting to get involved with WhatsApp or WeChat but you guys must have Snapchat, or Messenger, or whatever else.
As Deme knowledgeably says up thread, Signal is about the only common messaging app with a reasonable security platform, and a good history.
It isn’t perfect, as it ties your account to a phone number (though this may be changing?) and I bet it is a target for law enforcement and intelligence, but I guess for users posting on OzBargain, not being tracked, not running the risk of your message log one day being published, and being straight forward to use are good enough.
Email?
I'd be tempted to leave them out and rely on FOMO for them to install the apps.
Haha, this is the most sensible one, how can I forget?
They are seniors and refuse to use any "unconventional" Apps.
They love SMS, and to a certain extend, Emails and FB Messenger.
I love Group messages like WhatsApp and WeChat, everyone is in the loop and I dont have to repeat what was being said.
Couldnt care less if CCP or anyone wants to read our conversations, be my guest. I have no secret, it's all chat about where to go for lunch, doctors' appointment etc….
Have a great week!
It’s not possible.
Think of it like a BCC email. You can send it out to as many people as you want and it shows up that you have sent it to lots of people.
But recipients can’t see who else it was sent to, and therefore they can only reply to you, there is no “reply all” function.*
Other alternatives are telegram, signal or discord.
*Rarely, but it’s happened, I’ve been part of a mass cross platform group texts and have ended up receiving replies from other iOS users. Sometimes part of the same chain, but sometimes just random one off messages.