Episode 185 - Signal has finally implemented nicknames. Here's why that's not enough.
Added 2024-03-16 12:47:00 +0000 UTCSignal has finally introduced nick names that can be used in place of phone numbers to connect contacts. Here is why this is not enough.
Comments
You are correct that these user names can be deleted. You are not correct that you can create different usernames for different contacts on the same Signal account, at the same time. It does alleviate a lot of the problems introduced by the phone number requirement, but it's not as powerful as having the ability to create multiple simultaneous user names. One extra benefit of Signal's username implementation is that there is no directory through which others could find you. You can now also disable the ability of people to find you through your phone number. Which is also a major plus. I never said Signal doesn't perform well as a secure messenger. I've repeatedly said the exact opposite - that Signal is a very secure messenger but it has some serious privacy drawbacks - namely that is possible and quite easy to figure out who Signal users and whom they are communicating with for many mid to advanced threat actors. Signal is not perfect and should be criticized for its flaws and drawbacks. Worship brings no incentive to improvement.
The Hated One
2024-03-18 13:18:57 +0000 UTCI think you misunderstand how Signal usernames work. While you can only have one active at a time, they are designed to be ephemeral. You can change them as often as you like. If you want friends and family not to realize they're talking to the same person, you can create different usernames for them. This is specifically mentioned in Signal's blog announcing usernames - https://signal.org/blog/phone-number-privacy-usernames/ - where they discuss using a temporary username for a conference, for example. As for why Signal still requires a username, there is an explanation from Meredith Whittaker in this Intercept article - https://theintercept.com/2024/03/04/signal-app-username-phone-number-privacy/. It comes down to usability for a broad range of users. You claim that Signal doesn't perform well for secure messaging. I strongly disagree. Of all the popular messengers, Signal has by far the strongest privacy. There are niche projects like Cwtch and Briar, but how many people actually use these? Rather than trashing Signal, I think their username feature does a good job of balancing anonymity with usability.
Derek Morr
2024-03-17 01:05:46 +0000 UTC
