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i'd expect it to be much like imessages/facetime on apple products. it can use an email username or a telephone number. the telephone number predominates (becau

i'd expect it to be much like imessages/facetime on apple products. it can use an email username or a telephone number. the telephone number predominates (because it also does sms/mms), but either can be used on any apple product.

kelnos 5y ago
I wouldn't expect that. A goal of allowing usernames will likely be to let people remain completely anonymous. Linking your Signal account to an email address doesn't work for that. Even if you create a throwaway email account somewhere, it'll often be traceable back to you somehow.
- godelski 5y ago
  > A goal of allowing usernames will likely be to let people remain completely anonymous > Even if you create a throwaway email account somewhere, it'll often be traceable back to you somehow. I'm surprised to hear you say this considering your completely opposite stance in response to a comment of mine. I don't see how a throwaway email is any less anonymous than a username. In fact, I see it as more anonymous since I can generate these on the fly whereas I can't do this with usernames.
- clairity 5y ago
  ah yes, i didn't mean to imply an email address specifically, just that the other username would be mostly equivalent, if slightly inferior, to the phone number. i'm really glad that they're moving away from phone number as identity, and hopefully to fully anonymous, which they've rightly been criticized about up until this announcement.
- genewitch 5y ago
  Wait, is the idea I can go to signal on some library computer and send a message to whoever I want anonymously? Because that's a pipe dream. First of all, you can't monetize it, and, unfortunately that is a non-starter. I can't see people throwing money at this, with the implications. Secondly, assume I want to contact the same anonymous person again. They have to somehow easily prove they have access to that username. Even 4chan had a mechanism for this. Assuming you don't shield your IP, or you move between locations between, at least the service knows that, and that isn't anonymous. A pre shared key off a one time pad only proves that someone has the same pad. I think anonymity isn't achievable. Secure is more important. I talk to someone a lot, I want that secure. I don't really care if anyone knows we're talking, just whether they know the content. Hosting your own metal somewhere helps with that. You'd obviously notice a warrant or whatever.

kelnos 5y ago

I wouldn't expect that. A goal of allowing usernames will likely be to let people remain completely anonymous. Linking your Signal account to an email address doesn't work for that. Even if you create a throwaway email account somewhere, it'll often be traceable back to you somehow.

godelski 5y ago
> A goal of allowing usernames will likely be to let people remain completely anonymous > Even if you create a throwaway email account somewhere, it'll often be traceable back to you somehow. I'm surprised to hear you say this considering your completely opposite stance in response to a comment of mine. I don't see how a throwaway email is any less anonymous than a username. In fact, I see it as more anonymous since I can generate these on the fly whereas I can't do this with usernames.
clairity 5y ago
ah yes, i didn't mean to imply an email address specifically, just that the other username would be mostly equivalent, if slightly inferior, to the phone number. i'm really glad that they're moving away from phone number as identity, and hopefully to fully anonymous, which they've rightly been criticized about up until this announcement.
genewitch 5y ago
Wait, is the idea I can go to signal on some library computer and send a message to whoever I want anonymously? Because that's a pipe dream. First of all, you can't monetize it, and, unfortunately that is a non-starter. I can't see people throwing money at this, with the implications. Secondly, assume I want to contact the same anonymous person again. They have to somehow easily prove they have access to that username. Even 4chan had a mechanism for this. Assuming you don't shield your IP, or you move between locations between, at least the service knows that, and that isn't anonymous. A pre shared key off a one time pad only proves that someone has the same pad. I think anonymity isn't achievable. Secure is more important. I talk to someone a lot, I want that secure. I don't really care if anyone knows we're talking, just whether they know the content. Hosting your own metal somewhere helps with that. You'd obviously notice a warrant or whatever.