Let’s start with the good old little background. Some might now know that SMS means “Short Message Service.” It’s a standard for text messages on mobile phones that is widely adopted even now (well, not that much anymore). It was developed in Europe in 1984 but didn’t reach the mainstream until 1992. But it is 30 this year and far past its prime.
Even though hundreds of millions of people might still be using it every day, in the United States, the term is most typically associated with Apple’s Messages— it even colors message bubbles green instead of blue. However, the problems go far deeper than that.
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Table of Contents
SMS Can Be Used to Spy on People
It is not encrypted so mobile phone carriers can see every message’s contents without special permission. Often, pages keep track of SMS messages for law enforcement, and your SMS text messages can be subpoenaed in civil cases like divorce. Also, it’s easy for the government to access them.
Many people use private messaging apps like iMessage or Signal that use end-to-end encryption to solve this privacy problem. Most of the time, the companies that run the text message services can’t read the messages because they go through Wi-Fi or your cell phone’s data plan instead of the SMS network. When people use SMS, their privacy and safety are less protected.
Not Safe for 2FA
“2FA,” for “two-factor authentication,” is a way to verify your identity using two different methods simultaneously. For example, to log in to a website, you might enter a password and get a code through an SMS text message sent to your cell phone number.
Using SMS-based 2FA is better than not using 2FA, but it has some issues. One big reason is that it puts the security of your account in the hands of your cell phone company. If someone knows your cell number and Social Security number, they can convince an employee of your cell carrier to move your cell number to a new device so they can get your 2FA codes. It’s happened many times before.
Using SMS-based 2FA is better than not using 2FA, but it has some issues. One big reason is that it puts the security of your account in the hands of your cell phone company. If someone knows your cell number and Social Security number, they can convince an employee of your cell carrier to move your cell number to a new device so they can get your 2FA codes. It’s happened many times before.
SMS Costs More
It can be expensive, especially if you send many messages, since it has a limited character count, making it difficult to convey complex messages. Many people have plans that let them text as much as they want these days, but only some do. Cell phone companies still make a lot of money by charging extra for SMS messages, which is one reason why people like internet-based texting services so much. They let you chat for free, which is a reasonable request in this day and age if you already pay for a cell phone and a data plan.
Aside from the abovementioned, also has more disadvantages:
- Security – SMS messages are not secure and can be easily intercepted or hacked.
- Slow delivery – SMS messages can be slow, especially in areas with the poor network coverage.
- Inability to send multimedia – SMS messages cannot send multimedia such as images or videos.
- Interoperability – SMS messages can only be sent between devices using the same mobile network operator.
- Spam and unsolicited messages – SMS messages are vulnerable to spam and unsolicited messages, which can be annoying and intrusive.
- Interference – SMS messages can be affected by network congestion and other forms of interference, resulting in delayed or lost messages.
- Inferior to other messaging platforms – There are many other messaging platforms available, such as instant messaging apps and email, that offer more features and are faster and more convenient.
In conclusion, newer messaging services that are more sophisticated and provide a greater variety of features have replaced mainly SMS. Even though it is still helpful in specific contexts, such as for transmitting quick messages or alerts, short message service is usually regarded as an outdated and restricted communication technology.
What Should I Do Instead of Text Messages?
App messaging has almost completely replaced other forms of communication due to its convenience and speed. Plus, most apps for sending and receiving text messages are free, and many messaging apps are out there, including Facebook Messenger, Google Messages, WhatsApp, WeChat, and Telegram. Even I only use text messaging as a means of communication very infrequently.
If you want your text messages to be as private as possible, use Signal, which many people support. The industry should develop a universal standard for encrypted text messaging that can replace SMS and RCS. But right now, it’s way past time to stop using it. It’s been a good run, but things change, and so do we.
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