Signal has gone from merely annoying me to create a PIN, to outright refusing to let me use the app if I don’t create one. 😠
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I really liked Signal. And it bums me out that I’m going to have to stop using it. , this was the wrong decision.
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The real test for me is when Moxie and company start to activate contact and message backup features on Signal. If it’s opt-in, that’s great. If it’s opt-out, then hmm.
If you can’t disable it: then I don’t know what will replace Signal. Something will have to.
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Based on the feedback we've gotten about PINs, we're working on shipping an option to disable PINs for advanced users who are alright with losing their Signal contacts on reinstall.
If I disable pin, does Signal stop storing my contacts? Is any other personal data retained on their servers even with pin disabled?
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Signal doesn't have access to your personal data in either case.
You can read more about how Signal works here: signal.org/blog/looking-b
How SVR works here:
signal.org/blog/secure-va
signal.org/blog/signal-pi
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Really happy that you've listen to feedback, but please don't make this an advanced option. My issue with it was never with the concept but that it that the UX was not designed for the basic user, and caused a lot of confusion with no immediate benefit.
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Do you have suggestions for how we can build a UX that accomplishes the same thing (enables non-phone number based addressing, while not giving our servers access to a user's social graph)?
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I didn't have to reinstall to have a feature added but will have to reinstall to have it removed, 😬
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Since the onset of the Hong Kong National (In)security Law folks out here are ultra sensitive, as they should be, their lives depend on this now. Let us remove any evidence a conversation ever took place please.
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That's why we developed SVR. More details on how it works here:
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The screen forcing people to create a PIN is very bad. And not making contact back-up opt-in is worse. Much worse is not telling people that is happening. I did not expect either of these things from Signal. WTF?
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The purpose of this work is to enable non-phone number based addressing, at which point Signal will have to manage your contacts rather than your address book.
You can read more about SVR here: signal.org/blog/secure-va
And more about the PINs here:
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