Topic: Blockchain-powered instant messaging: Worth it? (Read 93 times)

Signal may be open source, but the company still runs its servers (infrastructure). Doesn't that make it centralized? I understand Blockchain can't be used for everything, but I don't think IM will be much of a burden to it. Especially if messaging apps are built on a separate chain (L2 or sidechain). They will only obtain the main chain's security benefits. The rest will be handled off-chain by a L2 or separate scaling solution.

By the way, I've forgot to include David Chaum's xx messenger (powered by the xx network) on the Blockchain-based messaging app list. It seems to be a far better solution than others. The main selling points of such messaging apps are privacy and censorship-resistance. You will truly own your data without having to worry about governments or third-parties getting their noses on your private business. It's much harder to compromise a Blockchain-powered messaging protocol, than a standalone (off-chain) alternative. Especially centralized software managed by corporations. They can install an undetectable backdoor that will grant the government access to your conversations. It's also possible to seize centralized servers (or shut them down) just to prevent people from using the messaging app.

There hasn't been any case of censorship on Signal (yet). But that doesn't mean it's trustworthy. If you can't run your own servers, it's not safe. Time will tell us if Blockchain-powered instant messaging will become a failed experiment or a huge success. I'll pay close attention to development updates.

Idea for those has existed for ever. I remember encountering at least one PoW coin in 2014 that had messaging system.

But no, imho blockchain isn't the future of everything, it's a solution for handful of things, and in majority of cases blockchain apps are just a bulky & unnecessarily costly alternative.

I mean give me one example where centralized solutions, like open sourced and private Signal wouldn't be a better choice and easier to adopt for messaging?

If argument is privacy, then most blockchains aren't even private in their core level like signal. If the issue is censorship, then i would like to know who has been censored and by whom. And reason why exactly is that a bad thing?

This is the first time I am hearing about these chat apps. Surely blockchain adds to the security of these apps which are really helpful if someone is concerned about their data security. I am going to check these apps now.

I believe the marketing is the key here. I personally spend a lot of time online but I have never heard about these apps. So I believe these app companies need to ramp up their marketing to reach out to their target customers. I do reach a lot of blockchain related news online so I should have seen these apps if they have targeted their potential customers correctly.

It's no surprise that investors are only interested in the profits. They don't tend to value projects with real use cases these days. This is the reason why the market is so speculative. Developers are now focusing on quantity instead of quality. A pity because Blockchain-powered messaging apps prove to be a superior alternative to centralized counterparts. Telegram, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and even Signal are all under the scope of "Big Brother". Info/data can be easily obtained from them at will due to their centralized design.

With decentralized alternatives such as Adamant Messenger and Status, it becomes harder (if not impossible) for governments to track or eavesdrop your private conversations. I was hoping existing Blockchain-powered messaging apps would migrate to some sort of L2 network for added scalability, but with interest declining each day, I wouldn't count on it. This will become a niche that's catered more to privacy enthusiasts, libertarians, and crypto/tech lovers alike. At least, the code is open source. Maybe someday, all our dreams will come true...

This is the second time I read all these messaging apps. All the messaging apps you've mentioned are good and should be used for people who want privacy, and I'm also asking why. The only possible answer I can think of is because we are in a bull run and the memes are the ones that are on every investor's mind for profit.
Eventually these apps will have their time to become popular because projects with usability are the ones staying and those pump and dump coins are going to vanish eventually.

I've stumbled across a number of instant messaging apps powered by Blockchain tech. They are Solchat, Blockscan Chat, Adamant Messenger, and Status Messenger. Was wondering why such projects aren't popular these days. I mean, isn't Blockchain the future of everything? An instant messaging app powered by Blockchain tech might prove to be superior than centralized solutions because of added privacy and decentralization. Scaling is not an issue if such apps rely on some sort of L2 network.

Do you think there's still a future in Blockchain-based instant messaging? If not, why? Do you know of any other projects besides the ones mentioned?

Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.