
Worried About the Privacy of Your Messages? Download Signal - siavosh
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/07/technology/personaltech/worried-about-the-privacy-of-your-messages-download-signal.html?hpw&rref=technology&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well
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DrScump
Here are the permissions Signal demands upon installation (Android):

\- Device and App history

\- Identity

\- _Calendar_

\- _Contacts_

\- _Location_

\- SMS

\- Phone

\- Photos/Media/Files

\- _Camera_

\- _Microphone_

\- WiFi Connection Info

\- Device ID and call info

WTF? How is my privacy _improved_ by installing Signal, really?

~~~
secfirstmd
Open Whisper Systems have answered that question in very large detail here:

"What are all these permissions" [https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/2125358...](https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/212535858-What-are-all-these-permissions-)

Also, worth remembering that Open Whisper Systems is a non-profit and needs
donations to survive. Donate here: [https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/2129401...](https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/212940158-How-can-I-donate-)

Or contribute code or translations here:
[https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/2131342...](https://support.whispersystems.org/hc/en-
us/articles/213134287-How-do-I-help-)

Or just tell your friends, family, co-workers to use it.

~~~
DrScump
Being Open Source doesn't make it impervious to being a vector for exploits,
as Heartbleed brutally demonstrated.

It shouldn't be _requiring_ permissions it doesn't need or isn't using "yet".
Permissions used rarely or only in certain configurations can be prompted for
granting on the fly in current Android releases, can't they?

Does the Play Store really limit you to one copy of your app to span every
supported major release of Android?

------
hackuser
Doesn't Signal require input of users' telephone numbers?

~~~
newscracker
Yes, it does require the phone number to activate the account. The same issue
exists with Telegram too, which requires a phone number to create an account.
Wire [1], which is a similar app, does not require a phone number and can work
with an email address.

[1]: [https://wire.com](https://wire.com)

