Chat app Signal is taking several measures to increase user privacy. For starters, the app hides phone numbers unless the person someone is chatting with has that person in their contact list. In addition, it allows you to create a username and share it with people you want to chat with on Signal without revealing your phone number. Signal announced the new measures in a blog (1).
Privacy is paramount with Signal. Not only are messages end-to-end encrypted, personal items such as your name, contacts and groups are kept private from other users. The developer of the chat app is going one step further to increase users' privacy and anonymity. To make that happen, a number of new measures are being implemented in the near future.
For starters, by default your phone number is no longer visible to anyone you chat with. Only people who have saved your number in their contacts will soon be able to see your phone number. "This means that when you participate in group conversations, send people one-on-one messages and make Signal calls, your phone number will not be visible unless the person has saved it," Signal wrote.
Still want everyone you chat with to be able to see your phone number, regardless of whether others have saved your number in their contact list or not? Then it's good to know that you can change the new default setting. To do so, go to Settings > Privacy > Phone Number and select the option "Everyone" when asked who can see your phone number. In the same menu, it will soon be possible to specify whether or not people can look up your phone number with Signal and then send you a message.
Another measure Signal is introducing to increase user privacy is the option to chat with others without sharing your phone number. While you do have a phone number to create a Signal account, you no longer need to share it with others to start a conversation. Soon, all you have to do is create and share a username. Users can create a QR code or share a link that directs others to their username
A username is separate from the profile name displayed in chats. They are only devised for quick and easy contact with other users without sharing a phone number. "Your profile name remains as you set it up. Your username is not displayed on your profile information page, and people who send you a message cannot see or find your username without sharing it," the chat app said.
To set a username, go to Settings > Profile. Unlike a profile name, a username must be unique and contain two or more digits at the end. This requirement was devised to minimize spoofing. People can change their username as often as they want, or even delete it altogether if they no longer feel the need. Should you change your username, your Signal contacts will not be notified.
Finally, Signal does not have a searchable list of usernames. That means only people who know your exact, unique username can chat with you.
(1) https://signal.org/blog/phone-number-privacy-usernames/
