Because of the ongoing fucktastrophe, the cries of "Use SIGNAL!" are constant and unavoidable. And I get it, it may be the least-bad option in a sea of terrible options. If, that is, you choose to ignore the advice of "don't use your phone for that...
https://jwz.org/b/ykmD

Just one more centralized service bro, just one more single-source unmodifiable app bro, just one more monolithic server farm operated in secret by a single corporation bro, this time we'll get it right bro...

@Rgsharpe @jwz I kind of get using Signal if you think you're in a government's radar and want E2EE today and don't know anyone trustworthy to run an #XMPP server for you and don't mind sharing your phone number to a US company and some of its users ("least worst", as you said)

Since I have the privilege of not being in that situation, I'm instead supporting the open, federated, enshittification-resistant XMPP protocol so we can give ourselves comparable privacy and more besides😉

@nex @licho I once had a Signal account taken over by someone else through this:
1. I got a prepaid SIM to sign up for a Signal account.
2. I left the SIM card unused for two years
3. The provider decided I don't use that SIM card anymore and disabled it.
4. The provider assigned the phone number to a new SIM card.
5. The new user signed up for a Signal account using what previously was my Signal phone number.
6. I had to notify my contacts that they can't reach me on Signal anymore.

@khm
But you can download the apk? I know cause my neighbour uses it. https://signal.org/android/apk/

Also desktop clients are available for linux distros and run with no issues.