Because people fear retaliation from both the cops and their fan club. We’re talking about the police that (in my city) flipped, ransacked, and destroyed tables set out by volunteers to give protesters food, water, first-aid, and sunscreen.

The last thing you want is to find photos or videos of yourself on a right ring YT channel because you will get doxxed, harassed and threatened.

At the risk of veering slightly off-topic I really dislike the modern internet culture that judges that it's perfectly acceptable to post people's face on public websites for all to see without their explicit consent. I'd hate to find myself at the top of the Reddit frontpage or in the latest viral video, even if I don't do anything particularly embarrassing.

Although I suppose that if you're participating in a protest that's not really the same thing, the whole point is to be seen after all. And signal is generally used for private messaging so it's less of an issue. So overall I guess I agree with you, I guess the Signal devs feel strongly about the current events and wanted to do something to help.

> There is nothing criminal or embarrassing about being in public or participating in a peaceful protest.

Then why are they beat up, gassed and arrested ?

Why is encryption needed? Or privacy in general? If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

/s

There is no purpose for this. I was in the protests and amid the looting in LA. You’re being photographed for dozens of different angles.

I love Signal but it’s so klunky and broken. Telegram is much more fluid despite it being less secure.

And the Mayors in LA let the looting happen purposely.

I wouldn’t be overly surprised that if there were protests on the right (return to work, for example) which resulted in violence that that would end up with calls for pulling this feature —maybe I’m too cynical due to the nature of the politics of speech over the last few years.

Retaliation. As it happens for HK Protesters