End-to-end encrypted messaging app Signal is getting closer to launching a long-awaited feature that will allow users to share just a username to connect with other users, instead of having to reveal the phone number linked to your account. as is the case now.
Other secure messaging platforms, such as Telegram and Wire, have had this feature for years (literally almost a decade in the case of Telegram!). But despite its gold standard reputation for strong security, Signal has taken its time to add the privacy-conscious ability to connect via a username and not have to reveal your phone number. .
It’s been working internally to add the feature for a while. But, according to a message in the Signals Community Blogappears to be entering the home stretch before a public release, as it now invites users to test the feature in a test environment (which requires installing a separate test app).
“After rounds of internal testing, we’ve reached the point where we believe the community powering these forums can help us test even further before public release,” he writes. “Once you are registered and running the application (Staging), navigate to Settings / Profile and Settings / Privacy / Phone number to explore the new functionality available in these builds. Try creating usernames, sharing username links, modifying your phone number sharing settings, and inviting people to groups by both username and phone number.”
a tan event in Bangalore, India, last monthSignal President Meredith Whittaker also said that the username feature “should be released in early 2024“.
Signal is asking test guinea pigs who download its Staging app to report crashes and share debug logs while it works on submitting usernames.
“These first builds are designed to fail proactively if it appears something has gone wrong under the hood, as we are fundamentally changing the way accounts are identified in the Signal ecosystem,” he writes on his community forum. “We know there are some rough edges in the UX right now, as to be expected with pre-beta software, so you can take into account any issues you find in the UX, but we may already be aware of many of them. they. .”
He adds that he hopes to update builds daily instead of the usual weekly cadence for his public betas.
There are many reasons why someone using a messaging app might want to chat with another user digitally without giving them their phone number. Maybe it’s a person you just met and are still probing to decide if she’s trustworthy. Or maybe they want to open a line of professional communication with a contact but don’t want to also give up their personal data.
Not only are phone numbers linked directly to the device in your pocket, they are often linked to other accounts, so they can be of interest to hackers and identity thieves. Sharing less personal data is a good security practice, in addition to being better for privacy.
“Usernames will allow you to communicate with anyone on Signal without sharing your phone number. That will provide a level of privacy on the device, which will be really important,” Whittaker said last month.
He added that it took a while to add the feature because “it’s actually a major architectural overhaul.”
