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• Skype security weaknesses could endanger ‘vulnerable users’
  This Privacy International report covers a few of the reasons citizens in surveilled society should avoid Skype. I avoid it for these reasons and more, including:

  • It’s 100% closed – design, interfaces, source – so all four software freedoms are absent
  • I’ve no idea who is tapping it, voice or text
  • It is not possible to add in-stream protection like OTR to fix that
  • Clients are only available where Skype chooses to make them available so the full range of tools is not available to us
  • It’s turning into adware
  • Its use makes users invest less in their own VoIP – lazy loss of freedom by willing slaves
  • It can’t be integrated in a general purpose client effectively so it’s another (huge) process to load
• Netherlands open source report says no savings can be made
  There was a time this sort of ignorant, rigged “research” would have been excusable. That time is well past, and the people involved should be ashamed.
• Journal of Universal Rejection
  Pity there’s no option for gift subscriptions. Check out the blog with all the editorial replies.

Filed under: Links | Tagged: Skype |