Summary Vitalik Buterin welcomed Signal’s reported plan to remove mandatory phone number registration, citing stronger privacy and broader digital accessibility benefits. Phone numbers expose
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has welcomed Signal’s reported plan to let users create accounts without providing a phone number. According to Buterin, the proposed feature would strengthen user privacy while reducing dependence on centralized identity systems that often control digital access.
Signal has not officially announced the feature. However, the encrypted messaging platform has acknowledged that phone-number-free registration remains one of its most requested user features.
According to Buterin, phone numbers are a weak foundation for digital identity because they are not equally accessible to everyone. He argued that removing the requirement would make secure communication available to more people without forcing them to rely on mobile carriers.
Moreover, Buterin explained that reducing reliance on phone numbers offers broader benefits beyond privacy. He noted that governments would find it more difficult to pressure messaging platforms into blocking users based on their location if accounts were no longer tied to phone numbers.
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According to Buterin, pseudonymity no longer provides meaningful privacy in 2026 because people unintentionally reveal identifying information through normal online activity. He explained that multiple forms of metadata gradually expose a user’s identity over time.
He identified message timing, communication patterns, recipient networks, message frequency, and file sizes as examples of information that can reveal who someone is. Additionally, he warned that artificial intelligence has made analyzing such data increasingly effective.
According to Buterin, true privacy depends on message-by-message unlinkability instead of relying only on pseudonyms. He explained that this approach prevents outside observers from connecting separate conversations to the same individual.
Furthermore, Buterin pointed to privacy-focused messaging platforms such as Session and SimpleX Chat. He noted that both projects are experimenting with technologies designed to provide stronger communication privacy.
However, he acknowledged that those systems still face practical limitations. Their underlying technologies often trigger spam detection mechanisms and denial-of-service protections, creating barriers for legitimate users.
According to Buterin, the messaging industry should develop methods that allow users to prove they are legitimate without sacrificing privacy. He argued that protecting users from spam should not require exposing their identities or linking every message they send.
Signal’s reported registration change reflects that broader direction by reducing the amount of personal information needed to access encrypted messaging. Although the company has not confirmed when the feature will launch, it has recognized sustained community demand for phone-number-free accounts.
According to Buterin, reducing unnecessary personal data collection should remain a priority for secure communication platforms. He welcomed Signal’s reported efforts and emphasized that the industry should keep developing technologies that minimize data leakage while preserving strong protections against abuse.
Buterin’s comments place Signal’s reported registration change within a broader debate over digital identity and online privacy. His remarks highlight growing support for communication systems that reduce personal data exposure while maintaining effective safeguards against spam and network abuse.
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