Popular encrypted messaging app Signal is one step closer to ditching phone numbers for good in the name of privacy.
As of November 8, 2023, the app began testing the option to allow people to share usernames instead of phone numbers to connect with others.
Signal VP Engineering Jim O’Leary is now inviting the community to sign up and try out the new feature, which is currently in what he describes as “pre-beta” software.
Signal testing of public usernames
“If you’ve been following the commit messages in our repositories, it’s no secret that we’ve been working on bringing usernames to Signal for a while now. After rounds of internal testing, we’re at the point where we think the community that driving these forums can help us test even further before public launch,” said O’Leary.
Users who want to test this feature will need to install and run a new build while registering for a new account with a phone number. However, during this testing phase, you can connect via a username to other Signal friends who are also enrolled on the testing platform.
O’Leary invites all testers to report any crashes and experiences on how they handle the new feature so that the team can fix issues as they arise. He also warns of “some rough edges in the UX”, explaining that this is to be expected with pre-beta software.
The test is available for Android, iOS, MacOS and Windows users. If you would like to participate, we cordially invite you go to O’Leary’s post for all the details. Below there is also a screenshot of what the new build’s settings look like.
Signal is testing the username feature. This would mean that you would not have to give out your phone number to the people you want to contact. You can set your phone number as private and not share it. pic.twitter.com/OUI2S8dEtpNovember 8, 2023
This is a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to data privacy, as it actively reduces the amount of personal information a user must share to conduct private communications.
It also contributes to the security of the Signal encryption infrastructure. The company is now one of the few encrypted services to recently add quantum-level encryption to protect customers in a post-quantum world.
While the team has been working on the Usernames feature since at least 2019, doing so has been challenging as, according to its privacy policy, the company has never collected or stored sensitive information it doesn’t need to function, including usernames.noted PCMag.
However, Signal CEO Meredith Whittaker previously confirmed in a recent interview the company’s intention to fully roll out the Usernames option in early 2024. At this point, we expect that the date for a full launch will depend heavily on how the testing phase goes.
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