this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2024
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I see this as both a win and a potential problem for the app’s reputation:
As soon as you take away a hard link to a real-life identifier, the sketchy people come out of the woodwork and trade images/video of child exploitation.
Signal has not had this problem like some platforms (e.g. Kik), and I suspect two reasons:
Up until now signal has been an excellent secure replacement for text messaging between parties that know each other. I hope they don’t go the “chat groups” route, though I doubt they will. But I suspect this change will make it a preferred way for abusers to exchange images and videos nearly anonymously
You still require a phone number to register, and your username is associated with that number. It's just the other people you chat to don't get your number - but if you reported a child porn distributor to Signal or law enforcement, they would be able to identify the phone number associated with that username.
How would that even be caught in the first place though? It's E2E encrypted so nobody can see what you're posted unless you invite them.
There are anonymous prepaid phone cards. Phone number does not really mean anything.