The Signal application reached the first place of downloads on IOS and Android at the beginning of January. It benefits in particular from the new regulations of Whatsapp, which will share user information with its parent company, Facebook, for commercial purposes.
Why are we talking about it now?
At the beginning of January, the Signal application was propelled to the first place of the charts of the App Store and the Google Play Store. It takes advantage of a change in Whatsapp’s policy, which allows Facebook to collect user data for commercial purposes.
Several personalities like Elon Musk then praised Signal, considered more secure.
Last February, the European Commission advised all its employees on communication with outsiders.
Amazon’s deletion of the Parler social network may also explain this craze for Signal. Parler was a platform popular with far-right activists, who are looking for a new social network less subject to moderation standards.
Why is it safer than other apps?
The application offers robust encryption, specific to each content exchanged. Each conversation is therefore encrypted, which is not the case for other private messaging services. This prevents an outside actor from having access to the content of the messages, even the people who manage the server that hosts this conversation.
The application also offers to self-destruct messages exchanged after the conversation. Signal transparently publishes the source code of its applications, allowing the developer community around the world to independently assess its operation and encryption protocol.
Who is it held by?
Signal is the work of Open Whisper Systems. This company is remunerated by donations and subsidies. It is also managed by the Signal Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organization. Both of these companies are led by Moxie Marlinspike, a crypto researcher and expert, and Brian Acton, former creator of WhatsApp, who left Facebook over disagreements with Mark Zuckerberg.
