> It is a way to increase usability for casual users
You can keep it as an option.
> decrease spam by requiring some other source
Phone numbers never been a good way to counter spam, just look at social media, you can buy phone numbers in bulk these days, not to mention spam might work in social media because there’s the concept of “public space” where everyone shares and talk, so it does make sense for some bad actors to spam or even trying to influence others, that’s not the case in messaging app, because first I need to know your “unknown” username that I can’t see it elsewhere, and second, the efforts are worthy for such unsolicited message, which in case it was, you can get a burner to send it. The point is requiring a phone number to counter spam doesn’t work, and it doesn’t make sense either for messaging apps.
> If you want a private messaging platform with zero prerequisite identity, use Briar.
Well, personally I don’t use Signal, never will in its current state, but they always try to promote it as privacy messaging app while still relying on a broken system known as GSM.
A lot of spammers opt for media that does not require the effort of obtaining a phone number. It's the bike lock model: no bike lock is ever safe, but as long as your bike is parked next to bikes with a weaker lock, you have a pretty good chance of not having to walk home on foot.
You can keep it as an option.
> decrease spam by requiring some other source
Phone numbers never been a good way to counter spam, just look at social media, you can buy phone numbers in bulk these days, not to mention spam might work in social media because there’s the concept of “public space” where everyone shares and talk, so it does make sense for some bad actors to spam or even trying to influence others, that’s not the case in messaging app, because first I need to know your “unknown” username that I can’t see it elsewhere, and second, the efforts are worthy for such unsolicited message, which in case it was, you can get a burner to send it. The point is requiring a phone number to counter spam doesn’t work, and it doesn’t make sense either for messaging apps.
> If you want a private messaging platform with zero prerequisite identity, use Briar.
Well, personally I don’t use Signal, never will in its current state, but they always try to promote it as privacy messaging app while still relying on a broken system known as GSM.