this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2025
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Privacy

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Signal is the No. 1 downloaded app in the Netherlands. But why? (techcrunch.com)
submitted 4 weeks ago by Sunshine@lemmy.ca to c/privacy@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Exactly. And requiring a phone number enables convenience features like:

  • account recovery
  • find contacts
  • be found by other people

Once you have an account, you can disable the phone number and use Hawks usernames instead (can be changed at will) of disable discovery entirely.

It's a pretty reasonable limitation IMO.

[–] einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

"Account recovery", yeah but by whom?

"Find contacts", dont you know who u wana talk with?

"be found by other people" ????

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 points 3 weeks ago

yeah but by whom?

Whoever controls the number. This is fine for 90% of people who hold on to their number, especially since no data is leaked unless you are sent messages after changing your number. But that's the same for SMS, so it's not a downgrade from that.

dont you know who u wana talk with?

Yes, but most aren't on signal yet. When they do join, it's nice for them to know you're on it too so your communication can default to that.

You can disable discovery (I do).