Signal tests usernames that keep your phone number private
Signal is now testing public usernames that allow users to conceal the phone numbers linked to their accounts while communicating with others.
Signal’s connection to phone numbers is annoying and unnecessary in my view.
I agree, but I cut them some slack based on history. They started off using SMS for transport, encrypting everything in place and encrypting sent messages when the recipient also had Signal (Text Secure at the time, I think).
When they switched to using internet for encrypted messages, they kept SMS capabilities. I liked that they did that, because it let me use one app to communicate with everyone: encrypted with other Signal users, SMS with those using competing and incompatible products or just stuck on SMS.
They recently dropped SMS support, so now my contacts are fragmented and I still have to use SMS as a lowest common denominator unless I want to install multiple apps. And since I'm on Android, one of those apps is not possible to install.
Since dropping SMS, there is no reason to hang on to phone numbers, and they seem to be headed that direction.a
I understand all the reasoning. I don't understand why nobody seems to be building nice apps using interoperable protocols and encryption. (Well, I do understand the greed, whether for money, power, or fame, I just don't like it.)
