Private chat app using wifi only. No SIM available (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.works to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

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My niece has an old iphone with no SIM/phone number. Only wifi internet access.

Looking for an app for both of us to be able to chat

She cant chat with me over signal because no phonee number. She chats with the rest of the family over imessage, but i have an android phone

Is there an app available for both android and iphone to let me chat with her?

Thanks

Edit: willing to self-host for extra privacy. My nieces and nephews are all young children so i definitely want to encourage/educate them to get off corporate controlled communications channels

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[-] Hyperreality@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago

If you want to use imessage on android:

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-imessage-android/

(includes self-hosting options)

If you want to use whatsapp:

If someone else has an old (and/or prepay) sim which can receive texts, you can authenticate whatsapp that way. IRC you can also authenticate with a landline. Install whatsapp using the landline number, wait for SMS authentication to fail, then it should ask to call you. Say yes, and you'll get a call with the authentication code. Et voila.

My nieces and nephews are all young children so i definitely want to encourage/educate them to get off corporate controlled communications channels

Good luck with that, is all I can say. Kids are very susceptible to peer pressure, especially as they enter their teen years. It's only when they're in their late teens that they'll open up again and start becoming more critical.

this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2024

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