Been using signal for years and love it and got the majority of my contacts on to it. My question is how are usernames useful now? You still need to register with a phone number with signal to limit spam and bots afaik and I’m assuming you should protect your username just like you do your phone number anyways because spam, malicious files/messages, etc… What scenario is this addressing where an average person gives up their username to a stranger? The only one I can think of is online dating or other online interactions like on forums. Just seems this is just more tailored to the people who need to be pseudo-anonymous for whatever reason than an actual privacy feature. Even then for the anonymous people does that mean usernames will be able to be changed?
Tldr: Questioning what scenario does signal’s new usernames address for the average Joe?
Edit: Just realized can be very useful for work relationships
I suppose for when you are okay giving a new acquaintance your made up username but don’t want them to have your actual phone number. You can still communicate, but if you were to block them they can’t harass you on your real phone number.
Good addition
Honestly didn’t even think about that. I usually use my work phone number for that purpose and if I get close to them then my personal/signal. You’re so right though a very good addition
Yea for me it expands the number of people I might use signal with
I am more comfortable adding people on FB messenger than I am giving them my number. This fixes that, so I can add a lot more
That’s a solid point I also know some people that use those services so this will help me too
Every scenario. Why would you ever want to share your phone number with anyone unless you must call each other specifically on the phone?
I don’t wanna share even in this scenario
Talking to people you don’t want to give your number to. It’s trivial to change username
An example would be getting in contact with a stranger over the internet; wouldn’t want to share your phone number with just anyone!
If you rotate SIMs frequently, it gives you a more stable account identifier. The fact that you still need a SIM for an account is another matter…
reduce spam
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Remember that “average Joe” is not actually signals only focus, it’s average journalist/ whistleblower/protestor living under a hostile government that may target them and their associates for what the rest of us “average joes” might consider basic free speech.
So a scenario might be, people use signal in Iran to arrange a mass protest on a specific day, word gets out and some of the organizers are arrested and pressured to give up their companions… They cooperate by unlocking phones, but police have no idea who the lead organizer “RndoUsr.40” is and the people arrested never met face to face so no amount of pressure would get them the organizers real ID
And yeah, for us average joes it’s good for aquaintences and because names are easier to remember so it’s handy.
Another scenario, you are a us citizen and they lock you in for exposing your fascist country’s war crimes
