Disappearing messages in real-time messaging software

Privacy Questions
1

Howdy all,

Signal is great. I love it, I love using it. However, I have a use-case in mind that I don’t feel it currently meets.

I’m looking to replace Discord with something else. I want to separate the account I use to talk to my real-world contacts from the one I use to talk to my “online-only” contacts who know me only by a pseudonym. For the former, I use Signal. Solved. For the latter…

Problem 1:

Phone numbers are required for registration of Signal accounts. Given that a registration lock expires after 7 days of inactivity, I’m not comfortable using a number I don’t have control of. I imagine this also creates friction for the other party, who doesn’t know me that well.

Problem 2:

One of the issues I am trying to escape with Discord is message history.

Signal solves this through disappearing messages, given that it is centralized and I trust Signal. I consider this the ideal solution.

Matrix (via Element) does not appear to offer such, is not E2EE by default, has poor message search functionality, and to my knowledge, does not offer an easy way to nuke all sent messages - which makes sense to me due to being decentralized.

Session does appear to have disappearing messages, however, I’m concerned about certain security and conduct issues, as well as the decentralized nature.

SimpleX and Briar both seem to solve Problem 1, and support disappearing messages. However, neither are centralized, which in this case, I do not feel educated enough to confidently trust.

The actual question(s)

Does anyone know if there’s any verification that servers in decentralized messaging apps will actually delete messages after their time-to-live?

Instinctively, I’d assume not - or even if so, you couldn’t verify they aren’t copying them first. Am I misunderstanding?

If not, my followup question would be if there are any good centralized E2EE messengers that support disappearing messages and do not require something like a phone number for registration? (I would accept an email requirement).

2

Take it from me:
I use Signal for personal communication and it ia due to be my exclusive way of reaching out. But mostly that with rarely Looking on Viber.
For online only, I use a separate signal number with SimpleX in my opinion woks very well, Matrix and Session would be lower in my priority. (and idk that I recommend it anymore considering the lack of PFS on session, matrix at least iirc has a soft PFS)
This can be corroborated with my website Gorujo
As for personal of course I can’t share it.

Btw I thought signal has destruct timer, so you can have disappearing messages say off but can use self destruct for messages you want gone after they’re read.
Edit: Yes I am Crazy lol. It doesn’t

3

Session replied to those concerns here, you should read it: A Response to Recent Claims About Session's Security Architecture - Session Private Messenger

1 Like
4

The point of E2EE is that you don’t have to trust the server to delete the messages since they lack the keys to decrypt them anyways. PFS is important to prevent messages being stored by a malicious server and decrypted with long-term keys if they are eventually obtained from the endpoint device.

1 Like
5

umm … yes, signal has auto delete:

6

I wrote a while ago how to use two separate Signal accounts on the same mobile device. My target audience was furries, who want to keep their fandom persona (fursona, as it were) separate from their professional name.

1 Like
7

What I know what disappearing messages are that’s not what I’m talking about.

8

I think the reverse would work better if you could enable disappearing messages but choose to extend the life of certain messages.