Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

blog.mozilla.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 134 posts

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#61

Post by crackercrews »

mdasen wrote: post #56
kylehotchkiss wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Voice numbers are reported as landlines, there seems to be some way to verify that a number is actually mobile. Very likely that Mozilla's report as landline. Banks (capital one) have definitely balked at my google voice number. What these burner numbers are great for are rewards programs. I sign up for every one I can with my GV number!

When I look up my Google Voice number, it shows up as VoIP (not quite landline) with the carrier being Grand Central - SVR. It seems likely that Mozilla's service will similarly show up as VoIP. Some places are filtering VoIP numbers from their SMS verification schemes, but most places will let you sign up for promotional texts from a VoIP number.

What about account verification for Twitter/etc.?

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#62

Post by janalsncm »

It would be great if someone could package several virtual services into one app. Virtual cc number, virtual email address, virtual phone number all with one click. That way I can sign up for some in-store membership with working info, get the discount, and never worry about my info being compromised.

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#63

Post by Vinnl »

moxieta wrote: post #37

is this usa and canada only? i can't see any option when i log on from the uk.

Unfortunately, at this time, yes:

> Currently, this feature is available in the U.S. and Canada. As we roll out this feature, we will explore how we can expand this offering to outbound calls and texts, as well as to other regions.

(Edited to add:) And I feel your pain - I'm a Relay engineer in the Netherlands, and I can't even use this myself... But unfortunately, it's not easy to offer this elsewhere at a reasonable price, so we're still figuring that out.

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#64

Post by kroltan »

rodolphoarruda wrote: post #4

We need this service available in Brazil like... yesterday. Robocalls are reaching unbearable levels.

Yes, recently I was on a spree, receiving roughly 40 calls a day, I had to set my phone to not accept calls outside contacts, but then what is even the point of having a phone number at all.

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#65

Post by kroltan »

tailspin2019 wrote: post #52
vineyardmike wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not worth it. I have a Google Voice number (free, easy, good UX). Now it’s a constant juggle of “which number did I give”. Especially since you presumably have already given away your current number. Even if you go all-in on burner number, there’s a question of longevity and risk. Do you give it to government? Do you give it to banks? Etc

Yeah, very good points. I hadn't thought of the "which number did I give" complication.

I do the same thing with e-mail addresses, and solve this by storing it in my password manager.

Phone numbers don't quite have the same dynamic, but just having the ability of throwing a given problematic number away would already solve so much.

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#66

Post by Vinnl »

jaclaz wrote: post #5

I don't understand the idea behind it. Now: 1) You give your real number to someone. 2) Somehow your real number goes into a list used by robo-callers. 3) A robo-call arrives on your real number, disturbing your peace. After: 0) You give Mozilla 3.99 or 4.99 US$/month 1) You give your Mozilla number to someone. 2) Somehow your Mozilla number goes into a list used by robo-callers. 3) A robo-call arrives on your Mozill…

(Relay engineer here.)

This is definitely just the first step; we've got lots of ideas for additional protections we could add, and are monitoring usage and feedback [1] to inform our roadmap.

What this first version gives you is a way to add a tier of trust to your phone number: your Relay number for untrustworthy partners, and your true phone number for important things. That means that data leaks of untrustworthy services can no longer be linked to the important ones through your phone number. Additionally, if you receive a phishing call to your Relay number, that's an extra red flag that it might not be who they say it is.

But again, there is more to come, so stay tuned.

[1] See also https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/firefox-relay-pho...

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#68

Post by gruez »

kylehotchkiss wrote: post #49
crackercrews wrote: post #29

> Each month you will receive up to 50 minutes for incoming calls and 75 text messages. All phone number masking plans will include unlimited email masking. The cost is $3.99 a month for an annual plan or $4.99 a month for a monthly plan. So you pay $4-5 per month and you're still limited? I was expecting there would be some free amount and after that it's paid. Will this SMS work for account verification?

Google Voice numbers are reported as landlines, there seems to be some way to verify that a number is actually mobile. Very likely that Mozilla's report as landline. Banks (capital one) have definitely balked at my google voice number. What these burner numbers are great for are rewards programs. I sign up for every one I can with my GV number!

>Very likely that Mozilla's report as landline.

I doubt it. It looks like they're using twilio under the hood, and those are most definitely detected as VOIP numbers.

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#69

Post by stuckonempty »

Vinnl wrote: post #66
jaclaz wrote: post #5

I don't understand the idea behind it. Now: 1) You give your real number to someone. 2) Somehow your real number goes into a list used by robo-callers. 3) A robo-call arrives on your real number, disturbing your peace. After: 0) You give Mozilla 3.99 or 4.99 US$/month 1) You give your Mozilla number to someone. 2) Somehow your Mozilla number goes into a list used by robo-callers. 3) A robo-call arrives on your Mozill…

(Relay engineer here.) This is definitely just the first step; we've got lots of ideas for additional protections we could add, and are monitoring usage and feedback [1] to inform our roadmap. What this first version gives you is a way to add a tier of trust to your phone number: your Relay number for untrustworthy partners, and your true phone number for important things. That means that data leaks of untrustworthy…

What are the benefits of Firefox phone relay then versus a free google voice number I use just for spam (“untrustworthy partners”)?

Re: Protect your privacy and your phone number with Firefox Relay

#70

Post by blep_ »

nicholasjarnold wrote: post #42
madamelic wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here you go: https://github.com/qnzl/twilio-basic-server Go wild. Gets you like 90% of the way there.

Thank you! I'm going to check this out. A question about a comment you made elsewhere herein: > My caveat about this is some services will silently ignore you if you try to use a virtual number. It's more useful for IRL where you don't want to throw your real number around much. How, specifically, do other services detect this? Is it like with IP address space where it's possible to determine things like "this C bloc…

Twilio, at least, has an API specifically for looking up the carrier of a phone number. (You can't do it based on number ranges, because portability.)
Post reply on HN