zlacker

>>pera+(OP)
The biggest drawback with Signal for protesters is that it exposes the user's phone number to everyone else in groups (just like WhatsApp does). There is no way to even hide the fact that you have an account on Signal. I can add phone numbers by enumeration into my contacts and Signal will show who among my contacts is on it. If the authorities don't use tactics like they did in Hong Kong, the protesters may be safe from being spied on (or worse).

>>AnonC+ul
Using phone number as ID has been proven idiotic since forever now. As much as I like Signal this is such a design flaw that it makes their software not only untrustable but often unusable too.

What's wrong with email logins?

>>kabach+bx
I'm no expert on the subject, but probably the use of phone numbers (and confirmation by SMS) is helpful to limit the number of bots.

>>siberi+fy
Signal could still validate the phone number via SMS and immediately discard it afterwards.

Personally I liked the way ICQ did it back in the day, they used a uniq ID just for their service decoupling it from a phone number.

If Signal wanted to avoid long numbers, they could use a CorrectBatteryHorseStaple approach which is what Xbox does for their usernames if you don't pick one.

Easier to remember,