1) Signal uses phone numbers to generate your social graph. They don't know it.
2) Usernames are pretty close. In fact, you can build the beta and use them now. [0] So your worries will be over soon. I really think you're exaggerating the simplicity of replacing the identifier in a way that is not personally identifiable. I mean my name here is only semi-anonymous but it would be a grave mistake to think one couldn't figure out who I am fairly easily.
3) What alternatives do you have? Yeah there are some that don't require this but also haven't had as extensive of audits, open sourced code, or the proof of time. Personally it does matter who analyzed protocols, safety measures, ciphers, etc because I can recognize that I'm not an expert in everything AND even if I was that dual verification is better than singular. With something as important as this, N-verification is important. IMO.
2) Usernames are pretty close. In fact, you can build the beta and use them now. [0] So your worries will be over soon. I really think you're exaggerating the simplicity of replacing the identifier in a way that is not personally identifiable. I mean my name here is only semi-anonymous but it would be a grave mistake to think one couldn't figure out who I am fairly easily.
3) What alternatives do you have? Yeah there are some that don't require this but also haven't had as extensive of audits, open sourced code, or the proof of time. Personally it does matter who analyzed protocols, safety measures, ciphers, etc because I can recognize that I'm not an expert in everything AND even if I was that dual verification is better than singular. With something as important as this, N-verification is important. IMO.
[0] https://community.signalusers.org/t/usernames-in-signal/9157...