Signal introduces usernames to protect user’s phone number
In order to improve privacy by default, Signal is implementing usernames for chats, which will obscure phone numbers. They're only visible to contacts who have stored numbers. Instead, users can remain anonymous by creating own usernames. To emphasize communication privacy, usernames are only used to establish contact. They are neither permanent handles nor visible to other chat participants.
“A username is not the profile name that’s displayed in chats, it’s not a permanent handle, and not visible to the people you are chatting with in Signal. A username is simply a way to initiate contact on Signal without sharing your phone number,” the company explained.
The users can also now enable a new, optional privacy setting.
“Unless people have your exact unique username, they won’t be able to start a conversation, or even know that you have a Signal account – even if they have your phone number,” said the company
These options are currently in beta and will be rolling out to everyone in the coming weeks.
According to the company, once these features roll out, your phone number will no longer be visible in Signal to anyone running the latest version of Signal who doesn’t already have it saved in their phone’s contacts.
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