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That equivalence does not follow. The counterpoint is simple: can people figure out how to get burner numbers? Yes, they can: there are a myriad of services for
by lvh 8y ago
That equivalence does not follow. The counterpoint is simple: can people figure out how to get burner numbers? Yes, they can: there are a myriad of services for doing so. And, importantly: journalists already know how.
- vader1 8y agoIn many countries it's not (legally) possible to buy a SIM card without providing your ID. Sure, you go ahead and buy an illegal burner number, then download Signal/Whatsapp from the Play Store and reverse engineer that binary to see if it "does what it says". Other people might find it useful to look at this comparison to discover alternatives that better fit the characteristics they find important.
- lvh 8y agoI know; I lived in one. A burner number does not imply getting a SIM. That is not how journos in sensitive countries get a number.
- codedokode 8y agoFirst, that leaves a trace: location where you used that number to connect to GSM network (ok, there are also services receiving messages for you). Second, this is inconvenient: if you change your IP address or log out, the server will require you to provide a SMS code.
- lvh 8y agoWhat? No, SMS is not a reauth factor in Signal, and the number doesn’t have to be physically proximate to you: you just have to receive a text message on it once.