What do you think about the Signal app?

[anonymouser]

The Signal app is widely known to be the most secure communications app for your privacy. It is even personally used by Edward Snowden (though only for his non-critical conversations). It allows you to make end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) text messages, voice calls, and video calls, wherein nobody except you and the recipient can read your messages, not even anyone from the Signal team.

There is no way to disable this E2EE, whether accidentally or intentionally, since privacy of your data is the highest priority of the developers of the Signal app. Even the metadata of your conversations (such as the who you are talking with and when you talked) are encrypted, so there is absolutely no way for third parties to see even a tiny bit of personally-identifiable data while your messages are in transit.

Do you think that Signal is the best privacy-centric communications app?

• Yes
• No
• It depends

If you don't mind, please specify the reason why you made that answer.

(I will try to post this question on dPoll.io tomorrow as a poll. I am trying to limit my polls there to only once per day, especially because of the opinion of the owner of that Hive app. That said, I am not expecting anyone (save from bots) to reply to this post of mine based on my experience, unless I have posted a copy of this post on dPoll.io in poll form.)

(Signal app image from https://thehackernews.com/)

Comments

[anonymouser]

@ash

What do you think about this post of mine? This is neither about Tor nor VPN, but is still heavily about data privacy.

Do you want to be notified by me whenever I post something about privacy (like this post)? If yes, how?

Thanks for your time.

[ash]

signal is bullshit because it needs a mobile number, which means KYC is most countries.

[anonymouser]

I have two thoughts regarding Signal app's requirement of SIM card number for registration.

1. It will be no secret for your ISP and/or telecom provider that you are using Signal (unless you are using VPN and you don't use unsecured communication). They will never know anything else (such as who you are talking with, and what you are talking about [and when]).
2. You can use a burner phone for registration (if such phones are available in your country). Just get a verification code from Signal using the SIM card number of the burner phone at a public place away from your residence or workplace, then dispose of the burner phone (if you need/want to). Alternatively, you may use a burner number (without the corresponding phone), but you have to trust its provider.

[anonymouser]

@ash

I hope you were able to read this. Maybe Signal is not for you because of the KYC, but for other people, Signal is very helpful (even for Edward Snowden).

I understand your opinion about giving away your mobile number. Even I at first was not inclined to give my mobile number to Signal due to privacy concerns, but then your ISP will always be able to tell whenever you are using Signal (unless you use VPN). It is pretty much a given that your ISP (and/or telecom provider) will very likely be able to tell that you are using VPN or Tor, and why not just add Signal to the list?