Yes, Signal is completely unusable unless you’re using a phone with a closed source operating system with Signal linked to the phone number.

Even if they are creating a Linux version, I don’t trust them at this point and think they are likely creating this as a hacking vector. It took them too damn long to do this, and they have never let people with higher threat models register without a number. The whole thing is sus.

Or use SimpleX Chat in a terminal instead desperately using some third party github repo to try to access something that tries to identify you based on numbers and hardware identifiers.

They will also likely require a captcha done using webview, exposing many hardware identifiers to Google.

They will once again claim this is to protect against spammers and not to track people.

Signal is obviously a honeypot, as it never would have taken this long to release a desktop App not linked to a phone if it weren’t a honeypot, and they still are requiring a phone number. Any “privacy” company that adopts real privacy features only after huge pushback from the privacy community years later is likely a honeypot. Look at “tuta,” which a former government worker testified under oath is a honeypot: no accepting of Monero ever. Finally, when called a honeypot, they make a deal with a third party to accept Monero.

Signal is probably releasing this because whoever owns the honeypot wants to link desktops to phone numbers, allowing the desktops to be hacked with something like Pegasus as well.

Does anyone remember that accidental LinkedIn post showing all the Apps that one company was able to hack? And it showed WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, etc… And it was always based on a phone? And this photo was accidentally posted online before being scrubbed? I forget the details on it and if anyone remembers, please post about it to jog my memory. Well, now perhaps that group wants to hack laptops too.

I don’t believe this is anything other than more bullshit. It wouldn’t surprise me if they also blocked VOIP for registration. Fuck Signal.