Signal is to privacy what duct tape is to a broken item - it solves your issues and concerns, but you shouldn't expect it to last. Instead, consider Matrix.
Farming data without opt-in is also illegal and no one cares.
Using no authentication at all is also false sense of authenticity because you do not know who you are talking too which disqualifies Session. Another problem is you need to trust others servers, joining them without any chance to verify that these servers are not a honeypot or alt-right.
I agree there is no network nor software which prevents data exfiltration attacks. But this shows that the main issue is on users end, not the network.
My point is that you to 100 Percent already shared sensitive information, so there is no privacy intrusion if you use Signal. Signal is proven to be secure and the metadata stuff on the servers are so minimal that the feds cannot do anything at all with it. I do not see to suggest other IMs who had leaks in the last + there are no audits or evidence that it is really as secure as you think it is.
Verification, at some point will so or so become a part in the EU, if not via SMS than age check, ID or whatever they come up with. The dream that you can be fully anonymous than this is what this is about ,not privacy, will end so or so, thanks to alt-right people who abuse every anonymous network to share illegal material, to scam others. The privacy argument is for most nothing but an excuse and the Govt is also not stupid and can see that. How is it helpful suggesting software or alternatives that are ore complicated to setup and you never know who you are talking too better, I do not see it, you run into more problems if you trust anonymous strangers, besides you can block on every Android phone at least Contacts and SMS permission without root if you dislike those permissions or features - some networks or alternatives do not even allow that.
There are problems on both ends, not only centralization and decentralization does not solve all of mentioned problems. No beginner wants to setup his own server to just chat, and no one I know does that, so at the end of the day it anyway ends up trusting a random stranger with your data because you use his server, network with your data.
I think Signal is good for beginners, like ever software it is not perfect and like every network nothing is fully anonymous. I do not see how Matrix beats simplicity, functionality and usability - right-now - over Signals for beginners. In fact by default depending on what server you are connected too on Matrix you are less secure. There is absolute no verification, so complaining about that Signals verification process is not perfect while Matrix ones is not existing or flawed is weird.
Verification, at some point will so or so become a part in the EU, if not via SMS than age check, ID or whatever they come up with. The dream that you can be fully anonymous than this is what this is about ,not privacy, will end so or so, thanks to alt-right people who abuse every anonymous network to share illegal material, to scam others. The privacy argument is for most nothing but an excuse and the Govt is also not stupid and can see that. How is it helpful suggesting software or alternatives that are ore complicated to setup and you never know who you are talking too better, I do not see it, you run into more problems if you trust anonymous strangers, besides you can block on every Android phone at least Contacts and SMS permission without root if you dislike those permissions or features - some networks or alternatives do not even allow that.
There are problems on both ends, not only centralization and decentralization does not solve all of mentioned problems. No beginner wants to setup his own server to just chat, and no one I know does that, so at the end of the day it anyway ends up trusting a random stranger with your data because you use his server, network with your data.
I think Signal is good for beginners, like ever software it is not perfect and like every network nothing is fully anonymous. I do not see how Matrix beats simplicity, functionality and usability - right-now - over Signals for beginners. In fact by default depending on what server you are connected too on Matrix you are less secure. There is absolute no verification, so complaining about that Signals verification process is not perfect while Matrix ones is not existing or flawed is weird.