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Phone numbers are not always anonymous. In India and I am sure some other countries as well, you have to give a photograph and a government ID to get a SIM card
by middleclick 10y ago
Phone numbers are not always anonymous. In India and I am sure some other countries as well, you have to give a photograph and a government ID to get a SIM card. And that is why I am hesitant to use Signal: I want to talk to you but I am not sure if I should give you my number?
- digi_owl 10y agoFor a number of years in Norway it used to be the case that you didn't need to show any ID or similar when buying a prepaid sim. Thus it was popular among criminals, and the related scratch cards circulated as virtually as cash. The police raised a stink about this situation, and soon enough you need ID to get them.
- true_religion 10y agoWow, really? I'm so used to just buying SIM cards on street corners, I didn't realise some people had to go through documentation to get them. Also, in some countries like the US, you can buy 'burner' phones without any need for identification--no contract, no ID.
- evolve2k 10y agoIn Australia you need to show ID to get a SIM card, even just a $2 SIM from the grocery store.