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I remember a time when visiting a website that opens a javacript dialog box asking for your name so the message "hi " could be displayed was baulked at.

Why does signal want a phone number to register? Is there a better alternative?

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[-] FreeWilliam@lemmy.ml 1 points 13 hours ago

That’s not the full picture. That's exactly the problem I was highlighting. The issue isn't whether some of the code is "FOSS", it’s about whether all of it is. If even small parts remain proprietary (as you mentioned), then we can’t verify what those parts are doing. And those parts could theoretically significantly affect the data collection. Also, I didn't make up a lot of stuff. The Signal Foundation themselves have confirmed that certain UI and build components are not fully libre. As the GNU project puts it, if part of your system is closed, then you're trusting a black box, no matter how well-lit the rest of it is.

[-] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 0 points 12 hours ago

Signal protocol guarantees that what's on the server we can discard in your suspicions, it doesn't matter, because you are not trusting it.

The client is fully open.

[-] FreeWilliam@lemmy.ml 1 points 55 minutes ago

If it's not fully free, I don't trust it. I don't understand how someone in a privacy community doesn't understand how much a few lines of code can track someone so easily no matter how much of the program is free software.

[-] rirus@feddit.org 1 points 11 hours ago

You are trusting the server, or do you verify the fingerprint of EVERY contact of yours? The normal people don't, as Signals UI purpusfully doesn't encourages it.

[-] rottingleaf@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Normal people don't anyway.

this post was submitted on 11 May 2025
163 points (86.2% liked)

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