Building Communities, Part 2: Verifying Safety-Number Changes

Part 2 of the Building Communities series — lessons learned running IrregularChat.

Workflow for Verifying Safety Number Changes in Signal Communities

Why This Process is Important

Verifying safety number changes is essential to maintain the integrity, privacy, and security of the IrregularChat community. Safety numbers are unique to a user and their device; any unexpected change raises potential concerns about identity or security. This process is designed to:

1. Prevent Unauthorized Access: A safety number change may indicate that a user's SIM card was moved to another device or reassigned to someone else. Immediate verification ensures only trusted members remain in the chats.
2. Maintain Community Trust: Verifying safety numbers ensures members are who they claim to be, reinforcing confidence in the community's security.
3. Enforce Accountability: Members are given 24 hours to verify their identity. If no response is received, their account is removed to safeguard the community.
4. Create a Searchable History: The Actions chat keeps a record of introductions and verifications, allowing admins to trace user entries and verify past activity.

Prompt for Safety Number Changes

When a safety number change is detected, the following message is sent:

"It shows that your safety number has changed. For the privacy and security of all, we ask that you provide one of the following:

• Your details: Name, organization, and who added you.
• Your IrregularChat Element Messenger username that we can verify.

If you don't reply to this message in 24 hours, your account will be removed from the chats, and you can request to join again when you are ready."

When a User is Removed

If the user fails to verify their identity within 24 hours, they are removed, and the following message is shared:

"NAME is being removed for not verifying themselves after their safety number changed. This is done to maintain the integrity of the community. This could mean the number was assigned to a different person, or their SIM was put into a different device.

They are welcome to request to join anytime but will need to be verified by knowing someone in the community and providing their name and organization."

How This Process Works

1. A Safety Number Change is detected.
2. The user is added to the Moderating Actions chat.
3. An Admin or bot sends the verification prompt.
4. If the user provides the requested details:
   • Their information is verified, and they remain in the community.
5. If no response is received within 24 hours:
   • The user is removed from the chats.
   • They are welcome to rejoin but must follow the verification process again.

This structured approach ensures a secure, trusted, and accountable community by promptly addressing safety number changes and maintaining clear records for verification.

It is important to communicate with the community instead of just removing users to reduce rumors and to even increase trust in the communities integrity.

This step can take some time but has been worth it.