That would be a no-go for me too... if I had a phone number. These days, it's actually surprisingly hard to get a free email account without having to provide a phone number.

how do you live life without a phone number?

I'd guess "blissfully"

I did it for a year in Japan, not easy but doable. I also hate giving out my phone number. It's just another way for companies to track users.

I've never had a phone. I suppose it's harder if I ever had one but since I never had to give up the conveniences, I don't really have a problem with it.

I'm old.

I just made an anonymous phone number at textnow.

How did you sign up to textnow without an email address?

with email address, of course

You can use a VOIP number or a Google Voice number or Call/SMS forwarding services, you don't have to use your actual number.

Those 70m are mostly Whatsapp users, so...)

They went back as well.Nothing really matters to them.

I mean, they don't mind giving out their phone numbers, and contact lists as well.

No

It's a UAE company with a custom encryption protocol, e2ee off by default, and no e2ee for group chat. You're damn right it's a honeypot.

Use Signal or Element/Matrix.

Doesn't Signal also require a phone number?