thrwwy451

> why can't they be doing the same thing with your e2e messages while in transit?

They can, and maybe they do. We can't really verify whether their servers run only what's published on GitHub (remember the MobileCoin gap? [1]).

> What do they gain by getting it through backups?

They don't need to capture the messages through backups, but the feature is a plausible reason for the users to foot the storage bills. Maybe the donations are not enough.

[1]: https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/04/06/it-looks-like-signa...

It happens to run on billions of devices, after corporations realized they can profit from "a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu)".

> and is maintained by people around the world of all types.

You seem to think that the whole world shares your definition of "polite". After living in a few quite different countries, I have to disagree. The diversity out there is huge. There's no point trying to solve this "problem", it's an impossible task.

And if this were EU, they apply for grants to pay for the fertilizer. That's how good the oversight is.