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I don't think it's really about identification. Binding user accounts to SIM-based phone numbers is an effective way of limiting account creation as it's effect
by ascar 5y ago
I don't think it's really about identification. Binding user accounts to SIM-based phone numbers is an effective way of limiting account creation as it's effectively binding it to a physical token.
I can only guess why Discord wants to do this (fighting scam bots?), but for example for Tinder this is a very effective way of preventing abuse on the huge early discovery boost after signup or long inactivity.
- jedberg 5y agoI understand why they do it, and I have no problem with that. My problem is their lack of an alternative. Either have an alternative way for me to verify, or a way for an admin to let me into their channel without verification.
- chii 5y agowhat if that alternative was "worse" than the phone number method? Would you then complain that there's no "easier" alternative? For example, a photo-id as an alternative, which imho is way worse? The problem with presenting an alternative is that if it is "better/easier" than phone number, then it gets exploited by the spam bots. If it's worse than the existing phone number method, then you'd have the exact same complaints, or worse.
- jedberg 5y agoI would be totally fine with a photo ID alternative or any other "harder" alternative. At least there is an alternative.