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submitted 2 days ago by blicante@moist.catsweat.com to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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I saw some threads here about Telegram and piracy stuff being banned. So, as an experimental alternative, I created a public Signal group for piracy.

Maybe it'll be useful?

Before joining

Signal supports usernames and hiding telephone numbers. Here's a blog entry on how to do so. You might want to:

set a username
change your profile name (these are two separate things!)
hide your phone number

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[-] liveinthisworld@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

The problem is, if you're in Europe, your phone number is associated with your identity

[-] uiiiq@lemm.ee 3 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

So what? The law enforcement knows you have an account and knows the sign up date and last login. That doesn’t affect your privacy whatsoever. Besides, Europe isn’t a monolith. You can absolutely buy and use a SIM card without disclosing your name in some countries.

[-] Emerald@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

Exactly. Signal is private, not anonymous

[-] ladfrombrad 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

No you don't.

I can go to the corner shop/local garage right now, buy a SIM card for 99p and then buy a top-up voucher in cash to have a completely anonymous phone number.

Albeit is the UK in Europe again? 🙈

edit: where I would be worried if my privacy was on the line is I could also go to the local pawn shop / Cash Converters to ensure that SIM card isn't associated with an IMEI I've previously used and buy in cash a cheapo phone.

[-] blicante@moist.catsweat.com 3 points 1 day ago

Same in a few other European countries. I'm doing it right now with a few SIMs. You can also go on holiday to another country, get a few temporary SIMs there for a few quid and fly back home with the "contraband". Really not hard.

[-] ladfrombrad 3 points 1 day ago

Aye, I've seen this misconception before and suspect it's specific countries in the European continent where you have to register.

[-] socsa@piefed.social 3 points 1 day ago

The last time I bought a SIM in the UK I was told specifically I could not buy it with cash.

[-] ladfrombrad 2 points 1 day ago

I don't know if you're in the UK right now but I can tell you right now that I can go round the corner and buy a SIM card in cash plus a top-up voucher, from someone like this guy

https://www.coregroup.co.uk/assets/img/cards/independent-retail-sim-distribution.jpg

[-] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 day ago

But, again, all they can prove is that you signed up to Signal and when you last signed in.

[-] Ajen@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago

I believe the same is true in the US.

[-] liveinthisworld@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago

It is not. You do not show any ID to get a phone number

[-] Ajen@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

You also don't need to show any ID for a business to meet "know-your-customer" regulations. Can you get a phone number without revealing your identity?