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Signal is working on registration without a phone number. But what form will it take?
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this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2026
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Boy... We are going to get spammed.
I never understood the "phone numbers are evil" people, whining about signal requiring them. As soon as this arrives, they will find another thing to whine about.
Hopefully Signal will make it possible to block any and all communications from people wohtout a phone number, unless I reach out to them. And that that feature also be introduced to groups. Because otherwise maintaining public groups is going to be turboshit.
mobile numbers require government identification in many countries. But yeah, not seeing an easy solution to the spam problem
Yes and all they will know is "person A has installed signal". Nothing more. If you haven't degoogled tour phone or use one with a fruity logo, the government knows that you have the app already. It won't need phone number.
Remember metadata , they also know person A send message to person B at specific time. Of course knowing phone number also gives them your location from cellular towers.
If you're using text messages, yes, but not with signal. They just know that you have it, nothing more.
huh? you can't see the difference between a grapheneos burner linked to a gov ID backed phone number and one that isn't?
like what happens when you go to a protest and they pull out a Stingray and get your IMEI+ICCID down that's directly linked to you? you're telling me you don't see any issues with cops/ICE being able to know exactly who goes where?
this has strong "I don't need freedom of speech because I have nothing to say" vibes - it's fine if you don't see the value but I can assure there very much is
You're fighting a scarecrow in your head that you built. "This has a vibe so I'll vibe comment"
Once you come back down to earth and want to talk seriously, ping me. I don't debate paranoid snow bunnies.
ah yes the paranoia of documented evidence...
i wish I could live in your fantasy land where fascists weren't in power and being an antifascist wasn't a terrorism offence
Buddy, how are you going to communicate with people via Signal even without a username? Are protests full of free WiFi?
If you think getting rid of phone numbers on an internet connected application will help you at a local protest where you should be using a local network for communication (Bluetooth for example), you are just lost.
Having your phone number will only reveal that you're using signal, not who you're talking with nor the groups you belong to.
look you obviously don't do grassroots political organising if you're asking such silly questions - this whole thread was about you thinking numberless signal accounts aren't useful - and being more worried about your made up spam boogieman - than the actual threat of fascistic state violence
prepaid sims exist, yes briar exists but it's not viable when people need to communicate over whole city distances (eg for spotting), if the cops can connect your burner to your actual ID at an anti-ICE protest - they can very easily raid your house after the fact - and no they don't even need a warrant due to the extraordinarily powers given to "anti-terror" police forces.
please touch grass and stop being an armchair security expert and let the adults think about applied security in the real world
I really hope you aren't in charge of security in grassroots orgs, because if you are, they are fucked.
simplex doesn't require phone numbers or emails to sign up.
instead you need to scan codes for a trust. it's actually everything I wanted in a messenger. well...I wish they had gifs like telegram.
And how's the spam on simplex?
nonexistent.
unless someone literally invites you to the chat you're not getting in.
unless you literally allow someone to scan your code, you will not be able to send them messages.
Wat? What about public groups?
they are currently in beta but really don't exist.