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I don't trust Signal

drewdevault.com Essays & writing Essays & articles Security & privacy Candidate
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Page preview · captured 2026-07-20

Resurfaced independently across 3 calendar years, with breakout response in 2 of them.

submissions
3
submitters
3
observed span
2018–2024
peak thread · 455 comments
523 pts
latest 20+ return · 2020-08-11
61 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

HN comment order

Drew DeVault doesn't trust Signal because its Android incarnation uses the Google Play Store --- the app market virtually all of its real users use --- and not F-Droid. DeVault would also like it if Signal would interoperate with other chat programs. Instead, DeVault would prefer that you use Matrix, a system for which end-to-end encryption is (according to its own website) "in late beta", offered on a select subset of clients, and "not enabled by default"†. This argument is…

tptacek·523-point thread·

I trust Signal's end-to-end encryption promise, but I have a problem with the application not offering anonymity or privacy. By demanding users to provide a cell phone number to enable their accounts, they are connecting actual people to the Signal accounts and consequently also allowing them (or someone else) to visualize social networks; in intelligence gathering, data such as who speaks to whom, at what hours, with what message frequency etc. is highly valuable. It's also important that users ask…

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
2

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
587

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
566

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission

DateTitle as submittedByPointsComments
2018-08-09I don't trust SignalFirst breakout · Best threadBl4ckb0ne523455
2020-08-11I don't trust Signal (2018)Latest 20+ point returngeophertz61111
2024-11-22I don't trust Signal (2018)fsflover30