The real bottom line criticism of encrypted email is that people will screw up, and leak metadata or plaintext.
But arguably that also applies to any encrypted messaging system. Not just email. So I'm not sure exactly what the point is.
About metadata: You can just anonymize it away. Maybe most people can't do that. But then maybe most people will screw up in some other way.
Or rather, one could just build in anonymity.
Fundamentally, encryption isn't all that useful without ~anonymity. Because if adversaries can find you, they can do whatever it takes to get what they want. Or at least, to make your life Hell until you give it up.
And with adequate anonymity, those aren't issues.
> Messages can be material to a civil case and subject to discovery. They can be subpoenaed in a law enforcement action. They safeguard life-altering financial transactions. They protect confidential sources. They coordinate resistance to oppressive regimes.
Anonymity fixes most of those problems.
About Signal, until it gives up the phone number requirement, it's hopelessly not anonymous. And encryption without anonymity is pointless.
Edit: Maybe I'm still ranting, but less personally.
But arguably that also applies to any encrypted messaging system. Not just email. So I'm not sure exactly what the point is.
About metadata: You can just anonymize it away. Maybe most people can't do that. But then maybe most people will screw up in some other way.
Or rather, one could just build in anonymity.
Fundamentally, encryption isn't all that useful without ~anonymity. Because if adversaries can find you, they can do whatever it takes to get what they want. Or at least, to make your life Hell until you give it up.
And with adequate anonymity, those aren't issues.
> Messages can be material to a civil case and subject to discovery. They can be subpoenaed in a law enforcement action. They safeguard life-altering financial transactions. They protect confidential sources. They coordinate resistance to oppressive regimes.
Anonymity fixes most of those problems.
About Signal, until it gives up the phone number requirement, it's hopelessly not anonymous. And encryption without anonymity is pointless.
Edit: Maybe I'm still ranting, but less personally.