Tox

So I know the whole point of this website is to compare many different alternatives, but I hear your plea for an alternative and also completely agree with Seth's concerns about Skype being "a surveillance-grid piece of sh*t". So I'd like to recommend Jitsi Meet . Open source, WebRTC-based (works in your browser). You go to the site, click a new link that's generated for you, and share the link with others you'd like to talk online with. Oh, and it's end-to-end encrypted, has screen-sharing and some other decent features. It's free and in my experience it works very well. I've had multiple cross-Atlantic conversations using Jitsi Meet and essentially no problems. See if it meets your needs. (For the record: I don't work for Jitsi or anything. Just found Jitsi Meet to be a great browser-based Skype alternative - that's all.)

I could not use Jitsi Meet at all. Looked easy to use,but it was not. I tried in Firefox many times.(media did not work,chat did)

• Some of my addons or my settings did not let it. I just gave up to find what is causing it. (I think Policy Control & Privacy Settings are the suspects, if you have these and works for you please share this info,thnx.)

I'm using Jitsi every day for hours. Seems more secure than a browser based app (I hope i'm right). I used it with Prosody also, i have no idea how to allow webrtc in it or do i need another "sever&stuff" for it, once i have time i search the web for it.

Depending on your settings/add-ons WebRTC might be disabled in Firefox. Firefox settings that control WebRTC are listed in detail, e.g. on privacytools.io. There are a few things to change there, so I didn't bother as I use FF as my main driver.

So instead, I use Vivaldi for the Jitsi Meet conversations. I still had some privacy-enhancing addons on Vivaldi, but that browser (as is the case with all Chromium derivatives, it seems), has no options to control WebRTC. But if you use Jitsi Meet you need it on anyway.*

The disadvantage is that you stand to risk leaking your IP address if you're behind a VPN. For me, that's an acceptable risk as the Jitsi Meet talk is end-to-end encrypted. The advantage is that you're not having to install anything, and neither does/do the person/people you chat with.

Could you please comment how you set up Jitsi to get it to work? It used to be you could connect for free via their XMPP server, if I remember correctly, but that was discontinued earlier this year, I think.

• Strictly speaking WebRTC-blocking add-ons are available for Chromium-derived browsers, but that's not as robust as the Firefox controls you get in about:config to switch it all off.

---I hope i can help,but we are 'off' on this topic, we should not discuss it here i think---

VPN is very important for me:

• i live in Germany, censorship is everywhere: youtube (since november -after 7 years- GEMA "opened" it), digital products (steam,GOG etc) & only God knows what others are blocked. No need to mention Turkey and other "democratic" states, anyone can see it. It almost a 'must have service' if you do not want to live in a Bubble.

"how you set up Jitsi to get it to work?" jit.si is closed. Every user got a message from the team,that is right. Here (or search for XMPP list) you can register to a public XMPP server -I use jabber.de also- Or you can create your own,but you will need:

• a domain name, i use NoIP
• the recommended server is Prosody (or other jabber server if you do not like simplicity)
• to follow the instructions
• a TLS certificate (for a start i recommend self-signed with LibreSSL)
• to open the port (basically 5222) in your modem & port forwarding (the router or only the modem if you connect directly to it) to the device which is hosting the server
• your partner has to accept your certificate (only once because it is a self-signed) upon connecting to your server

One more thing, i think some countries are blocking some ports&protocols, the Jitsi client has no option to change between UDP or TCP protocols at the moment. (Mumble has this). Hopefully they implement this in the future.

You're right, we're a little off topic now, so I'll be brief: thank you for your advice. What makes jabber.de your choice of XMPP server? For the certificate: how about Lets Encrypt?

As for Germany I guess/hope you meant some Steam/GOG content. I don't live in Germany; I hear some good, some bad things (e.g. data retention vs commitment to encryption).

Finally the WebRTC and Jitsi Meet again. As for the purposes of using Jitsi Meet only there is no risk of bubbling, having your local IP address leaked might be an acceptable risk, particularly if it is small (up to you, of course). The content of your conversation is not at risk. Secondly, I just tested my Vivaldi browser from behind a VPN by going to BrowserLeaks.com. Results as follows:

• With the option "Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP addresses" enabled in the uBlock Origin extension, BrowserLeaks returned "Local IP address: n/a"
• With the same option disabled, BrowserLeaks found my local IP address

This is not to suggest that using Jitsi via an XMPP server isn't better; simply that there exists a reasonable option via Jitsi Meet, particularly if ease of use is important to someone looking for a more private Skype alternative without requiring the other person to install anything.

"Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP addresses"

I am using uBlock Origin also but i forgot about this option. I give it a try.

thx for reminding me.

I disagree that this conversation is off topic. It's proven extremely informative while I consider Tox and other software like it. Very interesting read, and I'm glad I was able to "eavesdrop" on it. By all means, please carry on...

Well in that case let me add that although I haven't used it, Wire has good reviews from people I know when it comes to private and reliable video calls. Additionally, Signal - which is the most privacy-oriented text messaging app (and a user-friendly one at that: in short, get everyone you know to start using it), has announced that they now support end-to-end encrypted video calls.

"Signal - which is the most privacy-oriented text messaging app..."

• The protocol might secure, but using your phone number and let the software collect your contacts does not seem private at all to me.

My personal experience:

• got a call from god knows which advertiser about new underpants and socks -> my first question was: How the f@&K did you get my number?

Ring looked promising to me once, hopefully they made some upgrade since then.

Does Signal actually transfer/store a copy of your contacts? I installed it, but haven't actually had a chance to use it. (I spend most of my social time with animals.) They do seem quite concerned with privacy & security, though perhaps I've simply fallen for their clever marketing.

""Does Signal actually transfer/store a copy of your contacts?""

• You must register to use it so there is a database with your number in it. Where is this database, who has access to it and can be stolen, given or sold to somebody (would be a goldmine for advertisers)? Did you register your SIM with your personal information (real name,address,e-mail,etc) if not, it is private.
• Might true that the content is unbreakable ,but slowly the picture could build itself who&when&where did you call before or after that conversation (called Metadata).
• I would try it if i could use a username or a cert instead of a phone number.

I try to avoid services which tries to bind real identity to them. I hope i'm wrong about this, "it might just my fantasy-world". I just say: think twice. As i mentioned Ring: just try it and decide which one looks more private to you.

"I spend most of my social time with animals."

• me too, seeing them in the news barking about banning encryption&privacy&right to live in peace

It actually doesn't store a copy of contacts and it stores few metadata. See https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/115005045728-Does-Signal-send-my-number-to-my-contacts- and here https://signal.org/bigbrother/

[Edited by dany111, September 16]