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Comment by ajconway | Hacker News Reader

They use Intel SGX to keep themselves from being able to access their users' contact lists.

Still, one has to possess and reveal a valid phone number to use the service. This must help to grow the user base.

This misses the point, just because someone sometimes added me to their phone contacts and uses signal does not mean I want them notified when I start using signal too.

This has been my blocker to using Signal or Telegram also.

With Telegram at least, you do not have to share your contacts with the app. You can build up a Telegram-specific list of contacts based on who you message on the platform.

This is the inverse of the issue. I don't want everyone that has my phone number to be able to see/add me on telegram. That would require those users not to upload their contacts, which is out of my control.

Everyone can't. You can adjust the privacy settings such that you have to add someone to your Telegram contacts before they can discover you are on Telegram. It's easily done in Telegram's privacy settings. This is a primary reason I prefer it to signal despite the screeching from armchair crypto experts on HN anytime Telegram is mentioned.

I agree with your point, and I suspect that part of this comes from the Signal android app, which can be used as a replacement for all messaging (including SMS). Like Apple's Messages, it automatically upgrades from SMS to Signal when the recipient supports receiving messages on that platform.

I don’t get it. If they have your number, this person can already message you.

A phone number does not proactively provide information. Should I have to use a professional suit and tie profile picture because my boss' boss might use Signal? What about LGBT people in potentially hostile environments? Etc

Profile information is only available to your contacts. Not everyone who has your phone number.

> This misses the point, just because someone sometimes added me to their phone contacts and uses signal does not mean I want them notified when I start using signal too.

It sounds like Signal is trying to solve a different problem than the one you have, so you should probably look for a different solution.

IIRC, Signal's goal is easy to use mass-market E2E encrypted replacement for SMS messaging. If they didn't automatically notify people's contacts, then most of them would probably continue to SMS or use FB messenger, etc.

I can see how this would violate expectations if you installed it for one especially sensitive interaction. "Look at me, I'm doing tradecraft now!"

Perfect, meet Good, your mortal enemy.

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