this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023
323 points (94.5% liked)

Privacy

39644 readers
112 users here now

A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.

Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.

In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.

Some Rules

Related communities

much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Originally I've download the signal app through playstore, but often it also get updates from Droid-ify(Fdroid client). Today its weird and I got this . Explain to me this.

On the Droid-ify the signal app is provided by: org.thoughtcrimes.securesms

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Skimmer@lemmy.zip 96 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Google is actually right here for once. Signal is not offered on F-Droid, and its package name is org.thoughtcrime.securesms, not org.thoughtcrimes.securesms.

Only official places to download Signal are through the Google Play Store or their website (which self-updates).

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] AnokLola@lemm.ee 63 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I recommend checking the official website or the Play Store to ensure that you are downloading the latest and official version of the app.

[–] bob_lemon@feddit.de 37 points 2 years ago (2 children)

https://www.signal.org/download/android/

The official website only links to Google Play for the Android client, even on the fairly "hidden" download page.

[–] Pantherina@feddit.de 42 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

They hide it away, thats the tricky part

https://signal.org/android/apk/

Below the Playstore link

[–] AnokLola@lemm.ee 20 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

If the official website redirects you to the Play Store, then it is safe to download the app from there.

And to be noted, I don't think that the Android app client for Signal is available on F-Droid.

[–] kworpy@lemm.ee 44 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

"This app tries to spy on your personal data"

Needless to say Google hates competition

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 44 points 2 years ago

They hate the competition.

[–] yoz@aussie.zone 21 points 2 years ago

Pretty rich coming from google

[–] Catsrules@lemmy.ml 18 points 2 years ago

Google is like your big brother. They will beat the shit out of you. But If anyone else tries to beat you they will kick their ass.

[–] stebo02@sopuli.xyz 15 points 2 years ago

they obviously want all the data to themselves

[–] Rustmilian@lemmy.world 37 points 2 years ago

org.thoughtcrimes.securesms specifically?
I may be wrong but isn't the real one org.thoughtcrime.securesms, not "crimes"?

[–] 0x2d@lemmy.ml 28 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

It's a fake copy of Signal

The actual package name is org.thoughtcrime.securesms, not org.thoughtcrimes.securesms

Also Google officially recommends Signal on the Android website last I checked, so I don't see why Play Protect would flag it as malware

edit: attach screenshot of package name

edit 2: fix typo in package name (accidentally typed thoughcrime)

[–] Harry_h0udini@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 years ago

Thanks mate

[–] cl4p_tp@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 years ago

I'm on the apk from the signal website. This showed up for me as well.

[–] not_a_king@beehaw.org 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

what i get from the playstore. i notice thoughtcrime vs thoughtcrimes fyi

[–] yoz@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago

I think it was a typo. I checked the droidfy (fdroid) version and

[–] Sygheil@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

Maybe a botched version and goolag was triggered. On the safe side get rid of it.

Check the repo where it was downloaded.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] nameisnotimportant@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 years ago (4 children)

What is the benefit of using this instead of Signal?

[–] Anticorp@lemmy.ml 22 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's named after a rave drug.

[–] LufyCZ@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 2 years ago
[–] Lemongrab@lemmy.one 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Fully foss dependencies, degoogled (doesnt require Google Play services), and further hardening to the app. And you can still keep your signal contacts since it is just a fork. Available through Accressant, fdroid, and github.

[–] newIdentity@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 years ago

But note that you need to download the Fdroid version for the degoogled version

[–] AlecSadler@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 years ago

Android tablets as linked devices is why I use it. Something Signal seems to refuse to add.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 years ago

It has an official F-droid repo.

Also it may work as a temporary solution for those who are having signal troubles

[–] Slow@lemmy.today 4 points 2 years ago

Use molly.Im. They have a repository for F-droid.

[–] ThePancakeExperiment@feddit.de 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Got something similar yesterday, but for KDE-Connect from F-Droid. Downloaded the Play Store version instead.

[–] newIdentity@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 years ago

Either it got compromised or Google is warning you because it has a different signature than the Google play version

[–] nottheengineer@feddit.de 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

~~The package name is correct~~, but signal was never on F-droid.

Do you have a third party repo that might be compromised?

Edit: Package name isn't correct, so that's almost definitely a compromised version. Get rid of it ASAP.

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

Are you installing from Playstore or FDroid?

[–] LoveSausage@lemmygrad.ml 2 points 2 years ago

org.thoughtcrime.securesms and I get mine from neo store /fdroid

load more comments
view more: next ›