{{Header}} {{title|title= Phone Number Validation vs User Privacy }} {{#seo: |description=Phone Number Validation |image=Validation12312421.png }} [[image:Validation12312421.png|thumb|100px]] {{intro| The mandatory linkage of the software application with a phone number makes it very likely adversaries can easily link any 'anonymous' use of such applications in {{project_name_long}} with a user's real identity. }} Some applications like [[Signal]] and [[Telegram]] require the user to provide a phone number for verification. Even if a secondary phone number is used as a limited workaround. At the time of writing user requests to enable registration with an email account as a possible alternative have been ignored or denied by some developers of such applications. For this reason alone, alternative options like [[Chat#Gajim|Gajim]], and [[Chat#Tox|Tox]] should be investigated instead; see [[Chat|Instant Messenger Chat]] for further information. Readers are of course free to ignore this advice. In many cases (such as Signal and Telegram) the number can be different form the device's SIM card; it can be a landline or VoIP number, so long as the user can receive the verification code and possesses a separate device to set up the software. A far safer registration alternative is to utilize a random online phone number, see: {{kicksecure_wiki |wikipage=Mobile_Phone_Security#Phone_Number_Registration_Unlinked_to_SIM_Card |text=Phone Number Registration Unlinked to SIM Card}}. See also: * [[Tips_on_Remaining_Anonymous#Avoid_(Mobile)_Phone_Verification|Do not Use (Mobile) Phone Verification]]. * {{kicksecure_wiki |wikipage=Mobile_Phone_Security |text=Mobile Devices Privacy and Security }} * {{kicksecure_wiki |wikipage=Two-factor_authentication_2FA |text=Two-factor Authentication (2FA) }} {{reflist|close=1}} {{Footer}} [[Category:Documentation]]