My current take on least subverted options for digital chat:

1. Matrix
2. Mastodon, GNU Social, Diaspora (e.g. activitypub)
3. See “honourable mention” below
4. Telegram / Signal / Keybase (centralised but virtuous)

Honourable mention (exciting, but still a bit experimental):

* Secure scuttlebutt
* DAT

“yuck” – Please don’t make me use:

1. FB messenger / whatsapp
2. Facebook
3. Twitter
4. LinkedIn
5. Instagram
6. etc., etc., etc.

I also think it’s really time to revisit human communication technologies as public utility. Seems like this should be a first
principle. To be clear I do not mean a “utility” controlled by our emerging fascist democracies, but true *public* as in developed and maintained transparently in the commons.