Google RCS, which is effectively just another proprietary internet messaging app despite being based on a standard at least claims to use end-to-end encryption, and is probably more resistant to mass surveillance than SMS. If those are your options, Google RCS is an upgrade.

Don't cut off contacts unless absolutely necessary.

I did it for years, and now I’m living again; I have access to events too, simply because I’m now on WhatsApp and Discord. It’s a shame, but that’s how it is. But you can control what you decide to say, and make a physical appointment and then share IRL.

If you choose to boycott, the big risk is standing alone and just arming yourself, as you mentioned.

I think you already know the answer.

Joining a militant network is another way to find people who share your concerns, but you will have to search for them, and that can require a significant effort. But you will have new friends, and make your socials, bigger. Thats a good thing.

You will have many networks, separated.

I don’t know what else to say.

You can lead a horse to water, you cannot make it drink.

With my people from we use Signal.

Friends and family stick to text as it too hard to make everyone else change.

Because their friends use text… why change…

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

IMHO it's not just about the messages but whatever else the app might have access to just by being installed on your phone.

Doesn't Google Messages require access to your contacts to even run? My experience was that it didn't even ask permission; it just gave itself permission when I first launched it.

As long as you keep it's permissions locked down, it's better because at least with GMessages you get encryption on some charts whereas SMS is just pure text being sent through your cell provider.

Beeper can bridge those into a matrix chat. Then at least you can chat with people who or on a privacy related one as well as the heathens in Facebook messenger

From my point of view switching from a proprietary application to a free application is always a gain. You can't control what other people use, but you can take steps to reclaim your own freedom and control.

It's unfortunate there's no way to use RCS from a free application, though.

same goes in my family too. But they will be forced to switch to linux, since their computers can't run Win11, and 10 will expire. Not by me, but by Microsoft

last time i checked i couldn't get G-Messages to run without proper PlayServices installed.

edit: i believe I could get it to run but not the RCS support! So that made it very useless

delta chat. solves this problem as it uses the email protocol with pgp (when available), so from your end it's a chat client and from their end it's an email from you.

if they find it too annoying to reply by email they could just install the delta chat "email client", too ;)