Back when signal was getting started, using the contact list to bootstrap buddy lists and reduce adoption friction was definitely the right decision. Now they

Back when signal was getting started, using the contact list to bootstrap buddy lists and reduce adoption friction was definitely the right decision. Now they are more established, they can offer the username only version for the %2 that will actually benefit from it. And now that %2 has the cover of a large established user base to blend in as noise. You have to remember, signal is about E2EE security for EVERYONE, not just nerds. There will imperfect solutions along that path, which also means things like no federation. Signal is very much about being effective vs about being 'right' and ineffective, because when you are king, you can start being right and effective.