[ViViDboarder]

I’m not sure what the threat is that the phone number opens you up to.

That a government will scan all domestic phone numbers against a Signal API to identify a list of users who, at one time, installed Signal and use that list to target you? They can do the same with IP addresses of people using VPNs as well. Something is tied to you regardless.

You’re right that the Signal would allow this by phone number or IP, so it’s an additional angle at the same threat.