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

  • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    2
    arrow-down
    19
    ·
    edit-2
    9 months ago

    I don’t want to assume the worst but why are you trying to privately communicate with a minor? You really should include a second adult preferably there parent.

    You are just asking for trouble

    • 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.worksOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      9 months ago

      why are you trying to privately communicate with a minor?

      Uhm… Because my niece asked me yesterday if she could message me on her phone.

      When i say “private” i mean not hosted/harvested by facebook or google or whatever.

      My brother has full acess to the device and can read our messages. Also, he is well aware that she is messaging her aunts and uncles

      I don’t want to assume the worst

      Proceeds to assume the absolute worst

      • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        12
        ·
        edit-2
        9 months ago

        Child abuse is a serious issue in the US. I always try to encourage good practices. I didn’t mean to accuse you of doing something unethical

        I would still encourage getting the parents to join the same chat just for liability reason. If the child’s parent is in the group chat the risks go way down.

        You can create a new group chat in Simplex Chat and then you can turn off disappearing messages and add the child and the parent.

          • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            9 months ago

            Abuse almost always comes from a person who is trusted by the family. Often they are a close friend.

            Trust but verify

    • Gooey0210@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      9 months ago

      Hehehehe, how we came here, if somebody wants to message their niece that doesn’t have a sim card then that somebody is doing something bad 😆

      (Sarcasm) 100% somebody isn’t using SMS or fb messanger that somebody is a terrorist, extremist, child abuser, and drug user

      C’mon, somebody is asking for software advice, just mentioning that it would be cool to educate the kids how to use private services

      And even if somebody might be doing something shady, you can’t really accuse or suspect somebody, this is really dark of you to suspect everyone around you and starting a witch hunt 😂😂😂

      • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        7
        ·
        9 months ago

        I’d say the same thing about SMS or any other communication including in person. If you always keep two adults present you are much less likely to have problems