[e12e]

You can compile Signal yourself, and install it on a rooted phone, running presumably a Linux kernel and some Android/ASOP sub-system. In that case, excepting base-band backdoors and a few other details, Google won't have access to your phone at all (assuming no Google services etc here).

OWS doesn't then allow you to use their servers for routing/discovery etc - so you need to run your own servers, and set up a different network that cannot federate with the one users of the Google Play Appstore version of Signal use.

If you do that, and install eg. the F-Droid store, you've now given another actor (the F-Droid store) access to your phone. OWS argues that in general you're less likely to manage to run a safe, patched system this way.

[haffenloher]

> You can compile Signal yourself, and install it on a rooted phone [...] OWS doesn't then allow you to use their servers for routing/discovery etc

? That's a misunderstanding. You can of course use the official servers with your self-compiled version. (side note: I also don't think your phone needs to be rooted for this)

[e12e]

Ok, that makes sense. It's only compiled binaries distributed through third party app stores that cannot (should not) use the official servers?

[haffenloher]

Yeah, they prefer if you don't distribute your builds (i.e. something named Signal and / or using their servers) to other people (because they don't actually know what's inside the builds, they've got no update channel, etc.)