Tox: Text, voice, and video chats without a central server
Peer Group
The Tox protocol uses file-sharing techniques for messaging and audio-video chats, which gives users a greater degree of privacy and freedom.
The popular messaging application WhatsApp has recently alienated many users with its new terms of service and privacy policy. It's a situation that once again illustrates that when you put yourself in the hands of a proprietary service, you put yourself at the mercy of the operator. If you are dissatisfied with a change, either you grudgingly continue using the service, or you move to a different application with similar features.
In the case of WhatsApp, there are quite a few alternatives, and many were suddenly overrun with WhatsApp users looking for another option. This article looks at the different categories of messaging services, and then delves into one particular option – using peer-to-peer messaging apps based on the Tox protocol.
Open Source Clients
Signal [1], Threema [2], and Telegram [3] are widely regarded as good alternatives to WhatsApp, partly on the grounds that they operate more freely and openly than the Facebook service. This typically means releasing the app source code under open source licenses and disclosing the underlying protocol so that other app developers can develop alternative clients (see Table 1).
Table 1
Instant Messengers Compared
Service | Server | Client(s) | Protocol | E2EE* |
---|---|---|---|---|
Centralized |
||||
|
Proprietary |
Proprietary |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Signal |
Open source |
Open source |
Signal |
Yes |
Threema |
Proprietary |
Open source |
App Remote Protocol |
Yes |
Telegram |
Proprietary |
Open source |
MTProto 2.0 |
Yes |
Federated |
||||
Dino |
Open source |
Open source |
XMPP |
Yes |
Quicksy |
Open source |
Open source |
XMPP |
Yes |
Element |
Open source |
Open source |
Matrix |
Yes |
Peer-to-Peer |
||||
Briar |
None |
Open source |
Bramble |
Yes |
Jami |
None |
Open source |
OpenDHT |
Yes |
Tox |
None |
Open source |
Tox |
Yes |
*E2EE = end-to-end encryption |
However, discussions of social media alternatives often leave out one very important component: the server. All providers keep a watchful eye on the server and therefore on the data. Telegram and Threema do not disclose the source code for the server. Signal does provide the source code for the server under a free license, so users could theoretically build their own Signal servers. However, the software is designed in such a way that the different instances cannot talk to each other. If the same principle applied to email, then users of one service (such as Yahoo Mail) would not be able to send messages to those of another service (e.g., Gmail).
Federated Systems
True freedom exists only if the service discloses the source code of the server and client(s) and the underlying protocols. In addition, the network systems must operate in a federated manner, that is, in a distributed manner (federation). However, this kind of freedom goes against the business interests of commercial providers. Therefore, none of the major providers offer this level of freedom. What remains are services and programs such as Dino [4] and Quicksy [5], which are based on the classic XMPP (formerly Jabber) [6], and applications such as Element, which is based on the Matrix [7] open communications protocol.
Peer-to-Peer Networks
Instant messengers can do without any kind of a central authority. They work in a similar way to file-sharing programs like eDonkey or BitTorrent. Messages or voice and video chats travel directly from computer to computer (peer-to-peer) over the network. The contacts are organized with the help of a distributed hash table (DHT). End-to-end encryption ensures that privacy is maintained and that only the sender and the recipient can read the messages.
In this category, the selection of programs is thinned out even further. The last tools standing are Briar [8], Jami [9], and Tox [10]. Briar is available exclusively for Android-based smartphones and tablets. I have already covered Jami in detail in a previous issue [11], so now it is time for a closer look at Tox.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
KDE Plasma 5.27 Beta is Ready for Testing
The latest beta iteration of the KDE Plasma desktop is now available and includes some important additions and fixes.
-
Netrunner OS 23 Is Now Available
The latest version of this Linux distribution is now based on Debian Bullseye and is ready for installation and finally hits the KDE 5.20 branch of the desktop.
-
New Linux Distribution Built for Gamers
With a Gnome desktop that offers different layouts and a custom kernel, PikaOS is a great option for gamers of all types.
-
System76 Beefs Up Popular Pangolin Laptop
The darling of open-source-powered laptops and desktops will soon drop a new AMD Ryzen 7-powered version of their popular Pangolin laptop.
-
Nobara Project Is a Modified Version of Fedora with User-Friendly Fixes
If you're looking for a version of Fedora that includes third-party and proprietary packages, look no further than the Nobara Project.
-
Gnome 44 Now Has a Release Date
Gnome 44 will be officially released on March 22, 2023.
-
Nitrux 2.6 Available with Kernel 6.1 and a Major Change
The developers of Nitrux have officially released version 2.6 of their Linux distribution with plenty of new features to excite users.
-
Vanilla OS Initial Release Is Now Available
A stock GNOME experience with on-demand immutability finally sees its first production release.
-
Critical Linux Vulnerability Found to Impact SMB Servers
A Linux vulnerability with a CVSS score of 10 has been found to affect SMB servers and can lead to remote code execution.
-
Linux Mint 21.1 Now Available with Plenty of Look and Feel Changes
Vera has arrived and although it is still using kernel 5.15, there are plenty of improvements sure to please everyone.