[codedokode]

> Phone numbers are a barrier to entry for bots, preventing unlimited or trivial account generation.

What's wrong with account generation? Nothing. The problem is if they start sending spam to random people. So we can make registration or adding contacts paid (in cryptocurrency) and the problem is gone.

[jfindper]

>So we can make registration or adding contacts paid (in cryptocurrency) and the problem is gone.

The majority of the user base would be gone, too.

I had a hard enough time convincing my friend group to use Signal as is. If they had to pay (especially if it had to be via cryptocurrency) none of them would have ever even considered it.

[codedokode]

I would rather pay $1 than with my phone number which is much much much more valuable. Telegram did an experiment with paid anonymous registration, but the prices were ridiculous and targeted for the riches.

[jfindper]

>I would rather pay $1 than with my phone number which is much much much more valuable.

Most people would not, though, and that's the issue.

[codedokode]

So let everyone pay with their preferred method and let evil governments go mind their own business.

[godelski]

  > What's wrong with account generation?

Your comment *literally* explains one issue...

[wtfwhateven]

>What's wrong with account generation?

What's right with it? Accounts being generated (i.e. many inauthentic accounts controlled by few people) are always used to send spam, there are no exceptions. The perpetrators should be in prison.

[0xCMP]

Ah yes, and convincing friends/family/partners to use Signal instead of Whatsapp clearly what will convince them is that they need to setup, acquire, and use cryptocurrency to register or connect with me on the encrypted messaging service. "No thanks, I just use Whatsapp/iMessage. I heard they're actually e2e encrypted too, so what's the problem?"