forestine4d ago

eta: thanks, i ended up suggesting DeltaChat, but leaving this thread open if other people are looking

hi can someone tell me how to either use signal without ever using a phone or another encrypted messaging service that doesn't require a phone?

note to the linux people that this is for someone who is dealing with meta removing encryption, it can't be too difficult

Show threadjordan4d ago

@forestine you can't use Signal without a phone number, either you verify via text or you verify via voice, so you can use it with a landline number but you can't use it with no number at all

I have signed up Google Voice accounts (which come with a number) for Signal but it may or may not be free to set up Google Voice depending on how Google feels about your account and they're definitely gonna make you tell them and verify a different phone number to be able to do that

Show threadjordan
@forestine (sadly I'm honestly not familiar enough with any of the other alternatives to confidently make a recommendation, as far as I know it's "try one of the other Meta services" or go off even farther into Linux lalaland than I'm willing to go myself, like I ain't gonna tell you to use Matrix or DeltaChat)
Mar 25 at 3:42pmWeb
Show threadforestine4d ago
@jordan deltachat looks a lot easier than trying to fake a phone for signal actually
Show threadjordan4d ago
@forestine oh yeah almost certainly, I honestly haven't used it myself, I've looked at it a few times but weirded out about either alternative of giving it my actual email creds or signing up for someone's "chatmail" server and the whole "apps" thing they have implemented on top of it gets real freaky on a technical level
Show threadforestine4d ago
@jordan a friend suggested one called Session that doesn't require your email or anything
Show threadjordan4d ago
@forestine that is another one I have heard of but not used