Hacker News Reader

Comment by jorgeribs | Hacker News Reader

Hi! You can skip the SMS verification step, which is how thousands of people have used it after earthquakes and hurricanes :) we also have an SDK so that developer can create their own app and make it work however they want.

View on HN

Considering what others have described here to skip verification, you have used a dark pattern to force users to resort to SMS verification, endangering all those thousands of users you/your company claimed have downloaded the app in Hong Kong. This dark pattern would also inhibit or reduce usage during natural disasters unless you place a “Skip Verification” button that’s as prominent as the one for SMS verification. You could explain to the user the benefits or disadvantages of both on the same screen.

Having seen FireChat, another closed source mesh network app that allows people to sign up without giving a phone number, there’s no reason for me to recommend your app or even for me to try it.

how do you skip verification? after hitting the cancel button the start screen shows again

Apparently you need to fail verification a few times before it'll present the option. I kept giving it bogus phone numbers and eventually a "skip" button appeared.

I wouldn't trust an app where the first thing you have to do is navigate dark patterns.

It's likely because of those dark patterns that they can use it in the first place given how walled garden app stores treat apps that do allow for actual anonymous or distributed messaging systems.

I wouldn't either, but it would seem that HKers don't have many options at this time. Hope more are identified and that there aren't malicious intentions with this current one.

How is that a dark pattern? It's better if you do verify, so you can see your contacts and others can know it's you. If that fails, then we offer to use the app without verification.

Hit the verify button without any number and it'll show up at the bottom.

It's awesome that you've released the SDK. :) Have you seen any cool projects done with it?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com