The upcoming 7.0 version of the messaging app Signal is set to bring a new and crucial feature: usernames. For the company, this is a significant shift as they have always been committed to providing total privacy and security – but as president Meredith Whittaker explains, the decision was not an easy one.
At first glance, the addition of usernames may seem like a simple feature – users can register a unique username to replace their phone number. But with Signal’s dedication to privacy, the question arises: why add this feature at all?
In an interview at StrictlyVC LA, Whittaker delves into the complexities and challenges that led them to believe that this feature is a necessary step towards ensuring the safety and anonymity of their users.
Let me start by kind of explaining that with an example. In India recently, it has become a requirement, in order to obtain a SIM card, to submit to a biometric facial recognition scan. That is not just happening in India, we’re seeing a number of jurisdictions where to obtain a phone number, you are required to provide more and more personal information. Some, in some places like Taiwan, that is linked to a government ID databases that often get breached and cause a lot of problems.
While this may not be a pressing issue in the US, where there are numerous options for obtaining burner phones and SIM cards, this trend is increasing throughout the world. Whittaker shares that they have received numerous requests from journalists and human rights workers in conflict zones who have expressed concern over the use of phone numbers on the app.
She elaborates, “We need to be able to speak with people without sharing this information…we need to be in groups of strangers where we’re not afraid that they can scrape that…we need to be able to initiate conversations with others without sharing our phone number, because again, that’s my biometrics, that’s everything else, and that can leak a significant amount of information.”
It became apparent that Signal’s reliance on phone numbers as a unique identifier was becoming a threat to their users’ privacy and safety. And so, they made the decision to introduce a layer of obfuscation without compromising usability or security.
“So we basically turned our architecture inside-out to support this, and to support it in a way that I’m really proud of,” says Whittaker.
The challenge, then, was to implement usernames without creating a new burden of moderation for the app.
“As signal we do not want to take responsibility for content – we are not entering into the content adjudication business. But of course, with usernames, traditionally, you create a new namespace, right? You create something that you, in effect, have to monitor, perhaps police, perhaps censor.”
This is a problem that even larger organizations struggle with, as usernames can easily be used to violate rules or impersonate others. Signal’s solution was to minimize the possibility of harm instead of trying to prevent it altogether.
“We did what I would say is a sort of safety by design way that allowed us to stay very true to our principles, which is we just don’t take on that work,” Whittaker explains.
She clarifies that this does not mean Signal is abandoning their role as proprietors of the platform, stating, “We’re unwilling to…create new surfaces for harm…So what are we going to do? We’re going to design it so that we’ve minimized or, I believe, eliminated the harm space.”
The introduction of usernames as an optional identifier on the app will not open up new avenues for exploitation or harm, as is often the case on other platforms. A user’s chosen username will not be visible to others within the app, nor will there be a directory of usernames. However, the username will replace the phone number when initiating contact with someone. (Signal does add numbers to chosen usernames to ensure uniqueness.)
Essentially, usernames become a way for users to both identify and conceal themselves. They can provide all the benefits of a phone number without the risks of username exploitation. And the responsibility ultimately rests with the users themselves, as they must proactively request the username rather than it being readily available for anyone to see.
Whittaker concludes, “I think there’s actually kind of a paradigm around safe design with integrity that we’re pushing forward as we add a very essential layer of privacy to the app.”
The new feature will be available in the Signal 7.0 client, with the option for beta users to claim their username now, as Whittaker confirms. And for those curious, the full interview can be watched below.
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